


Julie and the Phantoms Oneshots

by Gummybear1178



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: JATP, juke, juliexluke, oneshots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-13 19:53:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 54,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28908888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gummybear1178/pseuds/Gummybear1178
Summary: I decided to write my own after finding so few stories that were quality, that being said I found several that were quality but I still wanted some of my own. Feel free to request, I can't promise how quick I will get to requests because I am an extremely busy person, but please do request!!!Mainly Juke for focus ships. Cross posted on Wattpad and Fanfiction.net
Relationships: Julie Molina/Luke Patterson
Comments: 4
Kudos: 27





	1. The Confrontation Part 1

"Come on Julie, please just let us join in on the movie night." Luke begged.

"No, you guys will do something to make me laugh, and then I am going to have to come up with another cover up."

"Hey, Ray and I have become really good friends recently. He even let me help him cook the other day. So I think I should at least get to attend." Reggie said, looking a little too proud of the dinner that had actually burnt because he turned up the oven thinking it would cook faster.

"Ok, but dude, you do have to admit yalls, "friendship" is a little one-sided." Alex pointed out.

"But we get along so well, and he lets me talk as much as I want, and he never complains about me telling the same stories over and over again. He really is a great listener." 

"That's because he can't hear you." Luke pointed out.

"How about this, we will have our own movie night tomorrow night. We can even watch the new Star Wars movies."

"OK, I agree to the movie night part, but not the star wars part. Unless we watch the originals. They killed Han Solo I cannot stand for that, and there is some weird character named JAR JAR. I mean come on who names a character Jar Jar." Luke protested.

Their debate came to a halt when a knock was heard from the studio doors.

"Hey sweetie," Ray greeted his daughter, "Trevor just called, he wanted to talk to you about your performance at the Orpheum the other night. He said he will be in here in a few minutes if that's ok?"

"What?!" Came a collective shout from the phantoms, while Julie's eyes went wide.

"Oh, cool dad. I didn't even know he was there. Yeah sure, just send him back here when he gets here."

"You and your bands performance that night was amazing the other night, but I have to ask again, when am I going to meet these guys?"

"I don't know dad, they aren't really about being seen. They love the music and the performance, but other than that like to stay out of sight." Julie explained.

"Well, I'm just happy they brought music back into your life. I'll send Trevor out here when he gets here." Ray said as he left.

"Wait if Bobby was at the show..." Alex started.

"Then he saw us." Luke finished.

"Wait guys, if he saw us that means he knows we are ghosts!" Reggie began freaking out.

"This means that we can finally give him a piece of our minds for stealing our music." Luke said punching his fist into his hand and getting up from his couch, as he had dubbed it upon their return to the living world.

"Wait, guys," Julie said pushing her hand against Luke's chest stopping him from going any further, though unknowingly also sending a calming feeling through Luke just from her touch. "I know you guys are upset, but we can't go into this guns blazing, remember he still can't see you unless we are playing. So here is my plan, when he gets here, I will talk to him, you guys, do not mess with him. At all. Once I've explained, we will show him and prove it by playing music, now in order for you guys to talk to him, we have to keep to keep the music going. If you guys start going too far I will stop playing. I need you guys to stay calm ok?"

"But Julie-" Luke protested looking into her eyes begging her to let him have this one.

"No Luke, I know he hurt you, I know he stole the bands legacy, and I know because of him your parents never learned that your dream was worth chasing, but we can deal with that calmly. Ok? Please just trust me." Julie said, looking at each of them as she did, but then she paused and looked Luke straight in his gorgeous eyes, she saw the pain and desperation in his eyes despite her reassurances, " Luke, come see."'

Julie held onto his hand and pulled him up to the loft away from the others.

"Remember, all of that is the past, and that doesn't mean it doesn't still hurt, but you can't let it effect your now. I am not saying to let him get away with it, but lets hash it out calmly first."

"Julie, I- I know that's what I need to do because I am so happy with my present, I still have the guys, and I- we have you now. We have our music. But anytime I think about him, all I can see is the looks of disappointment and anger on my parents face. They regretted ever buying me my guitar, they thought it was a dream that wasn't worth chasing. Had he not claimed credit for my songs, they would have known it was worth chasing."

"I am so sorry Luke, I know you regret how you left your parents."

"It's fine, look, I will try my best to keep my cool ok?"

"That's all I can ask, now come here." Julie said with a small smile as she held her arms open for him. He wrapped her up in a hug and buried his head into her shoulder, allowing himself a moment without composure before pulling away from her comfort.

"This is an interesting relationship we have her." He said with a small smile.

Julie shook her head smiling as they headed back down from the loft.

"Ok guys, group hug." Julie announced.

Alex and Reggie knew Luke needed it, they both had their own grudges against Bobby, but knew Luke was hurt the most. Though they did also wonder when Luke and Julie would finally admit their feelings to one another, they had never seen anyone calm down Luke like she could. Luke would visibly appear calmer anytime Julie was nearby. He generally was a calm person, but his panic and anger could go from 0 to 60 really quick. He was never violent though.

"Remember guys stay calm. I'll talk first, explain, then we will play and then you can talk to him. Just breath ok?"

Soon there after a knock came from the studio door, and opened to reveal Trevor, aka Bobby. To his defense, he looked hesitant as he tentatively walked in.

"Hey Julie, I saw your performance at the Orpheum, it was wonderful."

"Thanks" Julie said with a tight smile, as they squirmed their way through small talk.

"Look, I have to know, the holograms... I swear I've lost my mind, but I know what I saw..." Bobby spoke shakily. "They aren't holograms are they?"

"No they're not." Julie admitted.

"How- How are they back? They died in 1995, and..."

"I found their demo in the loft a few weeks back, and they suddenly appeared. They helped me with everything with my mom, and got me back into music."

"They came to visit me a few weeks ago didn't they?"

"Yes, they were upset, they had just found out about your career, and... about your songs." Julie said glancing over to Luke who was standing just a step behind her. Seeing his hands in tight fists by his side, but despite his rigid stance, his eyes gave away that he only felt pain, not the anger his posture would suggest. She slowly reached her hand backwards taking his larger hand into hers and holding it against the small of her back hiding any signs of Luke being uncomfortable from Trevor. He visibly loosened his stance, but the pain was still evident in his eyes.

Alex and Reggie, while they looked upset, they looked more so numb. Unsure of how to handle the man infront of them they once called a friend.

Bobby's eyes went wide as he realized what them finding out about his music meant.

"Yeah, Luke really isn't happy about that one." 

"Where are they?"

"Here."

"Can I talk to them?" Bobby asked shakily, even more nervous knowing his former bandmates were so close.

"They only way you can see them is if we are playing music, but they can hear you."

"Can I see them?" Bobby asked after a moment of silence.

Julie looked to Reggie, who nodded softly and walked over to his guitar, next the looked to Alex who had already gone to sit at his drums, now seeing anxiety coursing through his veins as he played with the drumsticks in his hands trying to calm himself down. Then finally she looked to Luke once more, having not let go of his hand since taking it, he looked hurtfully down to they clasped hands which he had tightened his grip on, before forcing out a few words.

"We have to do this, I can do this." He said gaining more strength in his voice with each word before taking a deep breath and walking over to his guitar, looking ready for a calm vengence. A look few people could create.

Once the boys looked as ready as they would ever be Julie walked over to the piano, and began to play.

Bobby watched anxiously as Julie looked around the room, realizing she was looking at his former bandmates the pit in his stomach deepened further. He had no clue what he was going to stay. He already couldn't believe what was going on, but hoped the words would come to him. He knew he deserved whatever insults they threw at him, and that he had messed up.

As the music began to play Julie looked at each of the boys, her eyes lingering on Luke.

**********

So I decided to write my own Julie and the Phantoms one shots, after failing to find many that were what I was looking for, I have no clue how often I will update as I stay busy, but feel free to leave requests!! I will try and get to all of them, if you haven't already figured it out, I am a HUGE Juke shipper. Also feel free to private message me to talk about the show! I have watched it atleast 8 times through, and have my dad hooked on the show now. Hope you guys enjoyed!!

Part 2 coming soon!!

NOTE ALL AUTHORS NOTES ARE FROM ORIGINAL POSTING I WILL POST A FEW CHAPTERS EACH DAY UNTIL I AM CAUGHT UP TO MY POSTING ON OTHER SITES


	2. Confrontation Part 2

Julie played a few notes on her piano, and after a bated breath from Bobby as he waited for what seemed like the impossible to appear in front of him, a few strikes on a series of drums were heard as Alex appeared. Bobby's eye opened wide as he gasped at the sight before him. Despite having seen them at the Orpheum, he still sat in shock as Alex continued to beat on the drums whilst avoiding eye contact with the man in the room whose heart beat faster and faster as the drums beating sped up. The faster the beat the more panicked or nervous Alex was, and right now he wasn't sure how much faster he could play.

Julie looked over to Reggie and gave him an encouraging nod followed by a small smile, she watched as he took a deep breath and shook out his nerves and began to play his guitar. Once more Bobby gasped as his head jerked to follow the familiar sound that came from the guitar of his former bandmate, a sound he hadn't live, other than at the Orpheum in over 25 years. Reggie chose to focus more on the strings beneath his fingers than the man who had stolen their legacy.

All that was left was the rocker who Bobby feared seeing the most, Luke. 

Julie looked over at him from across the studio, Luke had chosen the location farthest away from Bobby to stand ready to play, but his eyes betrayed his bodies attempt to appear confident. As panic consumed his features he flashed himself next to Julie. Until he began to play he would remain unseen by the man who had caused his parents never to see how far he could've gone.

The look of panic that consumed not only Luke's eyes, but also the rest of his body, caused Julie to switch to a one handed melody on her piano; freeing up one hand to take Luke's.

"I can't do this, not yet. I'll stay in here and listen, but..." He told Julie softly while squeezing her hand tight as he sat next to her on the piano bench.

"Hey, it's ok, I know this is a lot, and it was kind of sprung on us. I just need you to breath Luke, that's it, just breath." Julie whispered to him looking into his eyes softly and gripping his hand a little tighter, "You don't have to appear yet, just have Alex and Reggie go first, and then if you feel you can present yourself to him, then appear. Take all the time that you need Luke, but also remember, you will never truly be ready until you take the leap."

Their silent conversation was heard by no one other than themselves, as Luke breathed his way through his panic and anxiety, something that was normally released through music, but Julie just had a way of calming him.

Julie nodded to Reggie and Alex, and Luke sat next to her continuing to just breath as Julie had instructed him to.

"So that vegetarian flirt saved your life huh?" Reggie spoke up first with a small joke hoping to ease some of the tension.

"I guess it did." Bobby said softly as he heard a voice he never thought he would hear again speak.

"So what've you been up to?" Reggie asked, his tone was slightly harsher than his first comment, as the sound volume lowered to allow for easy conversation.

Bobby looked down ashamed as he began to recount the last 25 years of his life,

"After that night, I wasn't entirely sure what to do. I didn't know what to do with my life other than what we had been doing for years, so I kept doing it. Playing open mics. Playing any gig I could get. Playing behind Clubs. In front of clubs. I even went back to that book club. Then one night a manager sought me out after one of the open mic nights. He was ready to sign me on right then and there, said he had liked my sound, and that he- he really liked my songs. Told me that I could play clubs and gigs with my guitar skills and my voice, but what would really make me skyrocket to fame was my songs. He said my songs were what made me stand out. I had only been playing Sunset Curve songs, that's what I knew. It's what made me feel close to you guys." Bobby said pausing for a moment looking up to the looks of disappointment that were upon his former bandmates faces, but the face he feared to see the most had yet to show up, though he knew he was there, which scared him even more. "He told me there were plenty of good singers and guitarists out there, but to be able to write those songs, I had to be... extraordinary. He told me because of those songs he was ready to discuss a contract with me. In that moment I only saw the fame. I didn't think of anything else. It was our dream to make it big, and you guys, you guys were dead. So I didn't see the harm in claiming the songs as my own to get the contract. I told myself you guys would still want the music heard."

Bobby shook his head and buried his face into his hands unable to handle seeing the looks he knew he deserved before continuing.

"I told him they were mine, and that I would love to get started on a contract. I ignored that little voice in the back of my head that told me what I was doing was wrong. I told myself I was creating our legacy. Why would it matter if- if Luke had written the songs if it meant they would be heard, the only price that would have to be paid was who the song credit went to."

At that moment a new guitars strums came into the song, each chord sounding angrier than the last, and with the angry strum of the six-string came the musician behind them.

"That wasn't the only thing that it cost." Luke's voice came out not in an angry tone as would have been expected from his playing, but rather full of pain.

Bobby's eyes widened as he instinctively retreated backwards in his seat, a sharp pain spread through his body as he heard the pain in Luke's voice. He opened his mouth to say something, but his mouth merely opened and closed before a series of apologies rushed out.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry about me getting the fame. I'm sorry about not giving you the credit for your work. I'm sorry you didn't get a legacy, I'm sorry you didn't skyrocket to fame after your death because of me. I'm sorry you were like so many artists whose fame came after death. I'm sorry I took that from you. I'm sorry-

"Do you really think the money or the fame meant anything to me?! Do you really think that is what I'm upset about!? Do you really remember nothing from our days as a band, as a family?" Luke yelled, each word coming out more strained and with more pain than the last. "I could care less about the money and the fame and the legacy. I just wanted my music to touch people, to give me a connection to them, but most of all I wanted to prove my point. I wanted to prove to my parents that my dream was worth chasing. That Sunset Curve's dream was worth chasing. To make them stop regretting them buying me my guitar. That's all I wanted, anything else was just a bonus, was just an extra. The money, the fame, all of that. It wasn't the dream. Our music was the dream. Our music touching people. That was our dream." Luke paused for just a moment to catch his breath as the tears streamed down his face. His eyes, continuing to be the gateway to his soul, were drenched in pain, and no matter how many tears were shed more pain followed in another tear, never wavering.

Alex's drumming had sped up as he attempted to release his emotions into his music.

Reggie's strumming slowed just slightly as he processed everything going on around him.

Julie continued sitting at the piano, playing softly, she debated getting up to comfort Luke, but she knew he needed to get this out and let it be said and she could see that he still had more to say. If she stopped playing now, he wouldn't be able to finish, and the rest of the guys would also disappear form his view.

"No, what it cost us, wasn't fame or fortune. It was our lives. We may have been dead, but we had put our heart and souls into those songs. I put everything I could into those songs. You took away our purpose. My songs, those were what would prove to my parents that this dream was worth chasing, but instead I died and all they had left to remember was that my dream led to my death. That I wouldn't have gone to get that street dog had I not been playing at the Orpheum that night. That I wouldn't have run away from home if it weren't for my music. That my dream wasn't worth chasing. Had you ever have given me credit for the songs, or even given Sunset Curve the credit, they would have known it was worth it. Reggie's parents might have stopped yelling at each other long enough to see what their son had accomplished in his life while they were too busy fighting. Alex's parents might have seen that he wasn't a disgrace because he was gay. They would have seen what he had accomplished with his life, and that it wasn't being a disappointment. We weren't trying to prove ourselves to the world. We were just trying to prove ourselves to our family. The band became out family, and we had to prove it to each other too. Had you even just told our families about all of this, it would have been worth it. We didn't need the world to know, just those few people. That's what it cost." Luke finished before flashing out.

The music stopped in the room as silence took over as Luke's words sunk in.

Bobby had tears falling from his eyes, as the regret became evident in his eyes.

"Did you ever talk to our families after we died?" Alex asked breaking the silence.

"No." Bobby said looking down once more, and once he looked up once more, all that remained were their instruments and Julie.

A few hours passed, moments after the guys flashed out Bobby left without a word. Julie sat in the studio waiting on them to come back. She could guess Luke was at his parents, but there was no way for her to get in without raising questions. Reggie was probably following her dad around, and Alex was probably walking the streets of LA. None of the locations were ones she could comfort them in, and she figured they needed some time.

Close to dinner Julie went back to her house to find he dad watching the news with Reggie sitting next to him commenting softly about the images that flashed across the news.

"You know, I feel really sorry for those people. Their homes are just getting destroyed by something out of their control." Reggie told her dad as he watched the destruction Hurricane Laura had caused. 

The screen showed film scanning across the ground with roof covered in blue tarp, fences laying on the ground, and places where only a concrete slab remained of what once was a house. There were trees fallen everywhere.

"Their world just came crashing down around them, and there was nothing they could do to stop it." Reggie added, "It's kind of with Bobby, by chance, he decided not to get street dogs with us that night. We always said that they hadn't killed us yet. It was just chance, that he chose that night not to come with us. I mean could you imagine how different things would be if he went with us that night, or if we never went at all, but I guess at least we had some control, we had the choice to go get those hotdogs and eat them, even after Alex noticed the strange taste. But those people, they had no choice in the matter about the hurricane hitting their homes, and now Hurricane Delta is about to hit them again."

Julie continued to listen to Reggie's one sided conversation, he seemed to be processing everything in his own way: talking it out with himself. He was taking others tragedies and using them to help him with his own. 

As he seemed to reach a breakthrough with himself Alex popped in seeming to have also come to an understanding of what he had been processing. The weight on his shoulders seemed to have lessened. Now all that was left was to wait for Luke to return.

Julie didn't stop Alex and Reggie from joining movie night as she knew they could use a sense of normalcy they ended up watching "Turbo", as it was Carlos' turn to pick. 

Reggie and Alex ended up crying over little Turbo's tenacity as he did everything for his dream only for his shell to become cracked, but were immediatally happy again when they learned his shell could be fixed.

Julie silently laughed at her boys as they enjoyed the movie so much, and the sense of normalcy washed over her. After the credits, Julie declared she was staying in the studio tonight. Something she hadn't done since her mother died.

Reggie and Alex walked with Julie in to the studio, they sat along the chairs chatting about different movies they needed to see.

"No but really you guys need to see the entire MCU." Julie insisted.

"WAIT! They made movies about the Marvel comics?!" Reggie jumped up excited.

"Yea, and they are really good, some people say they are just flat action movies, but there really is a lot of character depth if you are willing to get attached to the characters and watch it for what it is not what the super hero movie stereotype is."

"I think we should have a MMM soon." Reggie declared.

"An MMM?" Julie and Alex questioned.

"Yeah, a Marvel Movie Marathon. Duh."

"I think that can be arranged." Julie said with a smile before letting out a yawn, which lead to both Alex and Reggie yawning (as well as me as I typed this...)

"Wait are you guys tired?"

"No, but apparently yawns are still contagious as ghosts." Alex said.

Julie shook her head, but leaned back in the comfy chair.

"You're really good for him you know." Alex spoke up.

"Good for who?" Julie asked oblivious.

"Luke. You can calm him down, and he's happier when he's around you. Honestly you two are adorable together." Reggie answered for Alex.

"We just, can relate on a lot of things."

"Yeah, but it's more than that, and you both know it. For some reason though you both try to act oblivious to the obvious." Alex said in an enlightening way.

"When do you guys think Luke will come back?"

" I don't know, when he's upset he tends to lose track of time and get lost in his thoughts."

"So what do you guys do during the night anyways?" Julie asked after a beat of silence.

"Honestly, we either play a game or we walk around the city or we lay down and pretend to go to sleep and get lost in our thoughts, or we jam, but don't worry the volume is always set to one or we just use acoustics." Reggie rambled.

"I'm getting tired, I'm going to take a nap while we wait on Luke, can you guys wake me up if he comes back before I go wake up?" Julie asked and the boys nodded their heads as she laid her head down on the side of the chair. Reggie and Alex walked over with a few blankets and covered her up before leaving her to sleep.

Around an hour later Reggie and Alex decided to go explore the empty night streets, leaving Julie alone in the Studio. She began to stir as she heard the small sound that signified one of the guys had flashed in.

"Luke?" She asked softly picking her head up.

"Julie!" Luke jumps startled not expecting to see her in there.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"I'm better. I think finally saying some of that stuff out loud and to him really helped me."

"Where did you go?" She asks softly.

"I went by my parents for a bit, then I went and sat on the Hollywood sign, it really is a wonderful view from up there, and then I just walked around streets I used to bike around. Everything is so different, yet the same." Luke looked down for a moment, "Can we talk about something else?"

"Yeah sure, so what are some of your favorite things about the future?" Julie asked as he walked over to his couch, she got up and followed leaving her blankets on the chair.

"Well, I definitely like this YouTube thing, I mean every song all in one place, now that is awesome. Oh and Netflix and Disney+, once again so many movies and shows in the same place! It's like a virtual Blockbuster! Wait is Blockbuster still a thing?"

"Not really, they went out of business and closed everything years ago."

"Well that sucks, it was always so much fun to walk around and look at every movie before deciding which one. Sometimes I would go and just walk around and listen to what movies everyone else was getting and why. It was always interesting."

"That does sound like fun, I remember Blockbuster, but not that much, I was too young."

"But you know what I like the most about the future?" Luke asked

"What?' Julie asked curious, turning her body towards him waiting to here what his answer was.

"You." Luke said with a soft smile.

"Me? Why me?"

"Because Julie, you are an amazing singer and friend. You get me. You brought my mom that song. You are so wonderful Julie." Luke said leaning closer to her.

"You and the guys are the ones who helped me get over my mom, and got me back into music. I loved music before, but with you guys, it's something more. I love writing songs with you. You get me." Julie admitted leaning up against his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"This is an interesting relationship we have here."

"Is that your new line?"

"Well it's true, I've been told out duets, and I quote Reggie on this, "ooze" with chemistry."

"Flynn tells me the same thing."

"You know I couldn't have handled today without you. I may be a usually pretty chill person, but when I get upset or hurt or stressed, I seem to go from 0 to 60, and I panic becuase I can't calm down and it just gets worse. With you though, just being around you, it calms me down. You know exactly what I need to calm down, whether it's your hand in mine letting me grip onto something, or walking me out to be be with just you to focus and calm down or even just knowing what I need before I do."

"You would do the same for me, and you have. Just being around you helps me perform. The thought of being on that stage performing in front of a huge crowd is so daunting. Before my mom died, I never had the feeling, but after it just became too daunting. With you, it just feels so-"

"Natural."

"Yeah."

With that they went silent for a moment as they shifted their position to be cuddling on the couch. With Julies head lying delicately on Luke's chest, he head slowly bobbing up and down with each breath he took. His arm wrapped gently around her.

Luke picked up his head slightly to kiss her on the head.

"I love you Julie." He mumbled just clear enough for her to understand.

She froze for just a second in shock before moving her hand to be on the other side of his chest using it to push her self up slightly, Luke feared for a moment that he had made a mistake, but quickly realized he hadn't when she turned her slightly lifted head to look him in the eyes before leaned closer,

"I love you to Luke." A smile encompassing his face before he lifted his head to meet her lips.

His kiss was soft, loving, and sweet. He didn't rush it at all. Just living in the moment.

"So where does this leave our "interesting relationship"?" Julie asks with a smile after using his words.

"I think it's Now or Never, our tainted hotdog could be just around the corner. So let's just live our lives to the fullest. Even if I am technically dead."

"I think I can handle that." She said before laying her head back onto his chest, a little higher this time letting him rest his chin atop her head.

Julie drifted off to sleep, as Luke drifted into a daydream, the closest equivalent to regular sleep, and that's how Reggie and Alex found them once they returned from their late night exploration.

Wow, so that's over 3500 words, but I hope you guys enjoyed. If yall have any requests just comment them, be it a prompt or a vague idea or even something highly specific. Let me know what you think!


	3. Tell Me All About You

Luke stared up at the ceiling as he held Julie close to him on his couch, though he was accepting that is was quickly becoming Julie's couch too, after everything that had happened recently he relished in the moment of silence as time seemed to slow to a near stop. After performing at the Orpheum, they flashed into the studio believing it to be their last moments in existence when Julie came in and saved them somehow, and now they can become solid whenever they want and they can make people see them. They still have their ghostly abilities and can teleport wherever, and can become their ethereal form allowing Julie to walk through them as though they were hologram, but now they could eat and sleep, though it wasn't necessary it gave them a much needed sense of normalcy After all of those changes, they took a few days to figure out how to tell Julie's dad about them, come to find out he was pretty chill about the whole deal. All he cared about was the fact that they were the ones who helped his Julie find her way back to her music. But best of all, he and Julie and finally, to put it in Alex and Reggie's words, admitted the obvious about the, "interesting relationship" they had going on.

All Luke could think about was the past few days and what he saw in his future, but all Julie's mind was focused on the opposite.

"Luke, can I ask you something?" Julie asked as she tilted her head upward to look at him from his chest.

"Of course Julie, you know you can ask me anything?"

"What was your life like before?"

"What do you mean? More specifically I mean?"

"Well, for starters, what got you into music?"

"When I was like 8 I figured out how to work the radio, there used to be so many more buttons and knobs, and I would just sit there all day and listen. I would flip through every station and just listen. I felt calm when I heard music. Sometimes my mom would even sit with me and listen with me. My dad too. As I got older it became an escape. I get worked up quickly and easily. My mom and I both do. My emotions take me over, and I'm never violent, but I lose some control over myself, whether I am really angry and storm out saying anything that I can think of to hurt the person I'm mad at, or when I'm sad I shut down and cry my heart out. You saw that when I saw my parents."

"That's nothing to be ashamed of Luke."

"I know." Luke said before taking a deep breath making Julie's head slowly bob up and down, "As I got older it got worse, but the music always helped. I started to write lyrics, they weren't very good but they got it out of my system, like your dream box, and my parents realized how much music helped me so they got me my guitar."

Luke paused for a moment, and Julie knew what was coming.

"I taught myself to play using books I could find at the library and watching people at the pier, as I played I finally felt free and could breathe. Eventually I went from playing songs I heard on the radio to writing my own, somewhere along the way I found the guys and we all just clicked. We all had out issues, but we fit together, like a series of broken pieces. We started our own band, which is when my parents started to regret ever getting me my guitar. They thought I should focus on school and go to college get a degree and join a respected stable career, but that just wasn't me. Music was me, and I tried to explain that to them, but it never worked. They wouldn't even come to any of our gigs. Eventually it led to the outburst where I ran away, and well the rest it history."

"I'm sorry Luke."

"No, it's ok. Their... rejection, just pushed me to try even harder. Leaving my mom may have been one of my only regrets, but if it didn't happen I wouldn't be here with you." Luke said smiling before pulling himself up into a sitting position bringing Julie up with him. She returned her head back to his chest once more as he rested his arm around her and his chin on her head.

"What about you? What drove you to perform?" Luke asked after a beat of silence.

"My mom, I would come out to the studio with her basically everyday. Somedays I would just sneak in here and sit, listening to my mom play when she didn't know I was in here. It was calming. I felt like I belonged. I would go over to Trevor's house all the time with Carrie. Between him and my mom we had all these random costumes we would dress up in and perform in, singing songs at the top of our lungs." Julie paused for a moment, realizing those songs she shared with Carrie thinking they were Trevor's were actually Luke's.

"We used to be really close, but then we just drifted apart, she wanted the popularity. When we were little we didn't understand Trevor's fame, but as we grew up she realized what that could mean for her. So she ran with it. She appreciates music, but she prefers songs that don't have much meaning, she went for the sound and the pulse, and forgot the meaning that lyrics hold. If you listen to a lot of the mainstream hits these days they lack meaning, that's not to say there aren't the hidden gems, but people don't want to think anymore. The bands that can't quiet make mainstream are my favorites, because they are big enough to be known and have quality music, but they also have authenticity and meaning; they don't sound like every other song. Bands like Panic! at the Disco, Coldplay, Imagine Dragons, Fall Out Boy, Train, and so many others refuse to join the status quo and become cookie cutter bands, and they make music with meaning. They all have phenomenal careers and following, but they aren't the first name to come to your head, though Panic! and Imagine Dragons really have broken through in recent years."

"I do like the songs from the future that you've shown me so far."

"Yea, but you introduced me to most of my favorite songs."

After a moment of a silence, Luke asked a question he'd been wanting to ask for a while.

"What was your favorite song that I wrote and Trevor claimed as his?"

"Guess." Julie decided to have a little fun with it.

"Hmm..." Luke thought carefully for a moment, "based off of your reaction, it has to be the song you told us you wanted to "Sample". You said you and your mom used to sing it at the top of you longs all the time."

"You got it in one." Julie said with a smile as they sat in silence once more before she thought of another question, " How did you and the guys come up with your band name?"

"Well, we started out playing at the beach, and at first I always had to head home at sunset per my curfew, but as time went on and I ran away we stayed later and some of the people at the beach would call us the sunset band because we left at sunset, until later. Well we also realized, that sunsets are the start of a new beginning, and all of us were looking for a fresh start. Reggie, away from his parents screams and fights. Alex, from his parents prejudices and the worlds. Bobby, his parents just never go him, and just kind of let him do whatever, and were never around. So we were being our own sunsets, the old days were ending and we were getting ready for our sunrise. Then the curve part came from us making our own path like the sunset we were trying to spread as far as we could and make our own path. We were determined to ignore what the world and our families though and carve out our own paths. At some point the name just came together."

"Sunset Curve. The end of the old days as you curve off onto your own new paths. I like it."

"This new day isn't what we imagined, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I mean we definitely curved off and made our own new path, I mean dying from tainted hotdogs then coming back as ghosts and forming a band."

"Yeah, you guys definitely curved off the path, and I'm really glad you did."

\--------

So this was not my planned new chapter at all, but this is what came out, so I hope you guys enjoyed please leave requests!!! The next chapter should hopefully be what I originally planned, but it needed a bit more brain storming, this just kind of flowed out with no prior planning. That also slightly delays any requests just because I usually like to work them out in my head at first, at least the beginning, I usually figure out the end when I get there.

Ps: if it's bad I'm sorry I think I was half asleep for some of this lol


	4. Falling

The band took off after their performance at the Orpheum, with the help or Trevor they made the guys legally alive with different last names so they could sign contracts, thanks to Julie saving them from the curse of the stamp, they were still uncertain as to how that worked out, they were able to become corporeal at will while retaining their ghostly powers. They kept it local during the school year allowing Julie to finish high school and toured during the summer. Now 2 years later, they played their music full time, whether Julie and Luke, who were finally together, were writing music or they were touring playing their music for thousands in sold out arenas. They were just as close as every as they reached one of the final shows of their tour.

Half-way through their concert in New Orleans, they played one of their original hits, Edge of Great, despite being years old it was one of their top songs still. As they performed it, Julie did not shy away from Luke as she did in their original performance, rather interacted with each of they guys, but as they always, the two of them duetting was something no one could take their eyes off, no matter how hard you tried. The chemistry they shared only grew over their years, especially once they finally got together. As she had always done during this song, Julie climbed up on the piano to deliver her powerful delivery of the word 'great', as she always did, but this time it was different.

She walked up using the bench as her first step, the kneeled onto the top, singing there for just a few bars before standing up, as she had done countless times, as she stood she pushed off the top of the piano to deliver her powerful belt, only to feel the piano shift beneath her, in what felt like slow motion she fell to the stage.

Luke had just been next to the piano as he always was playing his guitar next to her, and as she pushed up he turned and would walk back to where his mic stand was, but as he took his steps something pulled at him to turn around, and what he saw became engrained in his memory: Julie falling as the piano shifted beneath her, he stood frozen as he watched her tumble down to the stage.

The stadium went silent, the only sound being the remaining sound coming from the now unfinished drum hits, and guitar strums.

As soon as Luke broke free from his stupor, he threw his guitar off his back setting it next to him and slid down next to his love.

"Julie! Julie, are you ok? Are you hurt?" His words rushed out as he scanned her body for any injuries.

"Julie, hey Julie." Luke spoke softly to Julie waiting on her to respond, after what felt like hours, but was really just mere seconds after her fall, her eyes jolted open before drooping back as she began coughing, the fall having knocked the breath out of her.

"Luke?" She breathed out, her voice filled with pain.

"Hey, it's ok stay still." Luke comforted. "I'm right here."

Seconds later Alex and Reggie showed up over his shoulder, both concerned for their friend that was truly family.

They were followed by some of the stage crew who were there in case of an emergency like this, they tried to push the guys away, but Luke wouldn't budge.

"Sir, we need you to move, please" One stopped for a moment to talk to him directly.

"Luke." Julie mumbled, seemingly not fully coherent from the pain.

He held her hand tight, and the crew relented and let him stay as Julie began to panic when they tried to pull him away and they needed her calm.

"Just keep her calm, but try and stay out of our way ok?" Luke nodded not taking his eyes off of his precious Julie.

Alex and Reggie stood just steps away watching unable to do anything, meanwhile the crowd was engulfed by a hushed tone as everyone tried to figure out how badly Julie of Julie and the Phantoms was hurt.

They began to assess her injuries as best the emergency staff could before they moved her.

"Bruised collarbone and shoulder, sprained knee, and potential grade I concussion" Luke could faintly here one of the medics call out to the others as he focused on keeping her calm.

"Julie, I'm right here, I've got you. It's going to be ok." Internally Luke was panicking, but he knew to keep her calm he had to appear calm, "Just focus on my voice ok?"

After another moment the medical staff deemed she didn't need a stretcher and merely put her uninjured arm around one of their necks and halfway carried her off the stage, Julie only managing to help slightly with her uninjured leg and not fully coherent self, though she was more there than she had been at first.

Luke followed as Reggie and Alex joined him.

"Is she okay? I mean I know she isn't okay, but..." Alex trailed off panicked.

"I hope so, she seemed ok, not gre-" Luke paused at his word, "not wonderful, she was in a lot of pain, but it didn't seem too serious, I mean they are carrying her off stage letting her halfway walk. They didn't get a stretcher, and they aren't calling and ambulance." He reasoned.

"Yeah." Reggie agreed unsure what else to say as they came upon Julie who the medical staff had put sitting in a chair just slightly off-stage.

The staff began to walk off going to grab something leaving her open for the guys to go up to her.

"What did they say?" Reggie asked as Luke kneeled next to her hold her hand tight.

"They are going to get a brace for my leg, they said I sprained my knee. They pushed on different pressure points along my leg and confirmed it's just a minor sprain not a fracture. Apparently when I fell my leg twisted slightly causing it. They said my shoulder and collarbone are just badly bruised. They just finished checking for concussion, but I'm clear of that, the wind just got knocked out of me from the fall and I went into shock for a moment." Julie explained much more coherently than she had been just moments prior.

"I was right there, if I hadn't turned around-" Luke began.

"No, Luke, that's how we do it every time, and you couldn't have caught me, not with your guitar in your arms, I would have just fallen into you to. You can't blame yourself for this."

"But-"

"No, look at me and promise me you won't."

"I promise."

After a beat of silence and a gently group band hug, one of the head road crew members walked over.

"Look, I know Julie can't perform right now, but I need you guys to go out there and play something, I know you want to stay with her, but we need something out there or the crowd will go insane, just talk for a second and calm them down and play a song. Reassure them Julie will be fine, and will be back to performing in no time." He explained.

"No, I'm staying right here." Luke protested, not letting go of Julie's hand, she went to protest, but was cut-off by Reggie.

"No, it's ok dude, we got this." Alex said.

"This is my time." Reggie said with an excited smile, as the rest of the group quickly realized what he was planning, "Alex, can you do the talking while I run and grab Luke's six string real quick? And maybe give me some beat?"

"Just so you know I will be laughing and shaking my head at you the whole time." Alex told him.

"If it means I get to play it I don't care." Reggie said rushing off to go grab the guitar.

"You know this is going to go viral right?" Julie commented.

"At least we will get a good laugh." Luke said with a smile, still not letting go of Julies hand.

As Alex walked onto the stage the staff came up to Julie with a leg brace and began to put it on, though they stood at an angle allowing her to see the... interesting events that were about to go down.

"Hey guys, so Julie is going to be ok and back to performing really soon, but while they take care of her, Reggie has realized this is his time to... live out a dream. Yeah, I think that's the best way to put this. I can guarantee a good laugh. He has been trying to get us to play this song since we started performing. All I can say is... well... it's going to be interesting, and we will all quickly be reminded why Luke and Julie do all the writing, or as we all affectionately call them, Juke." Alex explained.

The crowd laughing unsure of what to expect when Reggie comes running onstage with Luke's guitar.

"So, I'm sure Alex has been explaining what's about to happen in very vague terms, but I always felt like we needed one country song, so here is, "Home is Where my Horse is" and yes I have tried sneaking this song into Luke's journal for years." 

Alex began playing his song, resulting in many affectionate laughs at his... very Reggie song.

"Home, what is it really? Sometimes it's a someone and not a place, It's that feeling of being safe, It's about who you're with at the end of the day...,and for me, home is where my horse is! Riding through trees by the river. Feel the summer breeze smile gettin' bigger. Home is where my horse is Don't need a house or a roof I just put on the saddle, lace up my boots Cuz home is where my horse is I don't need the streets Don't need the city lights; I don't need a fancy car just hop on my horse and ride. Home is where my horse is! Riding through trees by the river; feel the summer breeze smile gettin' bigger. Home is where my horse is, see the beautiful beast running up to me, and I know I'm home."

Reggie sang full out strumming the guitar as he went along, Alex providing a beat in the background shaking his head lightly as he smiled, laughing quietly.

Julie and Luke laughed affectionately from the side of the stage as did the rest of the crew.

As Reggie finished so did the medical staff, giving her some pain medicine, Advil, and some anti-anti-inflammatory before handing her a pair of crutches after adjusting it to her height. 

"Don't walk on that leg for at least a week; for the second week slowly start applying pressure to it again. Ice it and elevate it a few times a day, and be careful with the bruising on your arm." The head of the medical staff instructed her, and Luke silently thanked the venue for being one with a non-emergency level medical team.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Luke asked after the medical staff left for the last time.

"I mean, my leg hurts like crazy, and my shoulder just kind of has this annoying pain coming from it. It's honestly not too bad, and I probably won't even feel much of the pain at all after the pain medicine kicks in."

"You want to try walking on the crutches?" He asked knowing she wouldn't want to sit still too long. She nodded.

Luke helped her into a standing position then helped her to balance on her crutches. He stood just a step away from her making sure she didn't fall as she maneuvered the small space on her crutches. He was determined not to let her fall. Not again.

"I think I've got this, but I'm not sure how I'm going to make this work for any of the shows."

"Don't worry about that Julie, I mean you just fell, I think everyone will understand if we have to push some of the dates back."

"No, a lot of people are traveling hours to go to the concerts, and have hotel rooms booked, and took days off of work. We can't move them, but I don't know how I will be able to perform. I mean I can walk around on these crutches, but not quickly or easily or smoothly-"

"Hey, calm down." Luke said flashing his smile that was just for her, "I have an idea." He said as he gently took her crutches from her and put them off to the side as she leaned against him.

Julie looked a little skeptical not sure what was about to happen.

"Do you trust me?" Luke asked.

"Always."

"Then hold on, and get ready to play." He said with a big smile before sweeping her off of her feet, though he was careful with her injured leg and shoulder, and carrying her onto the stage.

The crowd erupted into applause as Luke carried Julie to her keyboard, not wanting her anywhere near the piano that had caused this injury.

"I'm pretty sure Luke isn't going to let her walk anywhere for the next 2 weeks and just carry her everywhere." Alex commented on the mic from his drums.

"Nor is he going to let her near a piano." Reggie added, while Julie just shook her head laughing.

"They aren't entirely wrong." Luke laughed as he reached his mic and electric guitar where Reggie had put it after taking it from him when he rushed over to Julie.

"So, I think I'm going to do the rest of this show sitting down." Julie joked.

"That would be safest, both for you and Luke's sanity." Alex responded.

The crowd laughed at their banter.

They played their show, though rather than Julie going around to each of the guys, Reggie and Luke made their way to her to continue their usual interactions for the rest of the concert.

They all went into the dressing room together after the show, Luke ofcourse having carried her offstage and into the room, Reggie and Alex each chose a comfy chair while Luke set Julie down on the long couch, before sitting next to her. Julie leaned her back against Luke's side and left her injured leg up straight on the empty couch in-front of her.

"Oh, one of the crew members came and told me what happened with the piano, one of the break locks on the piano wheel was broken, so when you pushed off the piano it didn't stay in place like it should've." Alex explained what he had been told.

"That makes sense, I felt the piano shift under me when I pushed up, but wasn't sure if it was my imagination or just from how I fell."

The guys talked amongst themselves, as Julie remained leaned against Luke, the moments from that night playing through her head. Luke wrapped his arm around her front and rubbed his hand up and down on her bicep in a comforting manor as he talked to the guys.

When suddenly Julie's phone rang from across the room, Reggie, being the closest, got up and brought it over to her. The screen showed her dad was trying to call her. She quickly realized he was probably just now getting the news about her fall.

"Hey dad, I'm fine, a little injured, but nothing too bad." She answered quickly.

"As long as you are ok sweetheart, they just started talking about it on the news and were showing some footage from the fall. I hoped you were done with the concert by now and would be able to answer."

"I am, they said I just minorly sprained my knee and have some pretty bad bruising on my shoulder." Julie explained, before Luke took her phone from her.

"I swear Mr. Molina she will be well taken care of. She figured out how to use crutches to get around, but since then I haven't let her walk at all; I've carried her everywhere and intend to enforce the no walking rule until she is completely healed. Then maybe we can discuss her being on top of a piano again." Julie rolled her eyes at her long-term boyfriends protectiveness.

"I trust you with her Luke, don't make me regret it, but I saw the way you rushed to her in the video. I know you really love her." Ray told Luke, whose smile grew hearing Julie's father's approval of him, it wasn't the first time he had heard it, but he couldn't help but smile every time.

\-----

Later that night, in their 3 bedroom hotel suite, Luke woke up feeling Julie shifting like crazy next to him.

"Hey, hey wake up Julie, it's just a dream." Luke shook her gently careful of her injured shoulder.

Her eyes bolted open, jumping around the room until they met Luke's soft concerned eyes.

"You okay? Bad dream?"

"Yeah, I was on the piano again."

"It's okay, come see." He held his arm open for her to lean against him as she normally slept, but in her panicked shifting she had moved away from, "I've got you, you can't fall as long as you are wrapped in my arms. I won't let you."

She nodded softly against his bare chest.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked softly.

"I was falling, and I could feel myself hit the stage, but everything was so fast, and in a blurr. I could feel the pain, and I knew I had fallen, but I couldn't grasp anything going on around me. Not until I heard your voice. It faded in and out at first, but it quickly came into focus. I couldn't figure anything else out around me, but this time I couldn't find your voice. Everything was too muffled and rushed." Julie explained.

Holding her close Luke, mumbled sweet nothings into her ear until she calmed enough to fall back asleep. Even then he laid awake for hours, just to make sure she felt safe.

\---

A few weeks after the piano incident, Julie had finally healed enough the walk around all the time without pain, and was ready to do their concerts their normal way once more.

True to his word, Julie was rarely able to use her crutches as Luke carried her nearly everywhere, and despite her occasional protests she really did appreciate and enjoy it.

Today was the day that she would perform their concert normally. She had no fear in moving around the stage as she normally did. She was excited to finally be able to get up to her usual antics with the guys on the stage, including Luke and her sharing the mic staring into each others eyes as they sang together. However she was scared for "Edge of Great". It would be the first time she would be getting on the piano since her fall. She had a few more nightmares about it in the past few weeks, but Luke assured her if she didn't want to get back on it yet, no one would force her. Though she was stubborn and wouldn't let a piano hold her back.

Though Luke did promise to check all of the break locks himself from now on.

True to his word as they began a run through of the concert for that night, he checked each lock carefully before demeaning them properly done.

They ran through their set no problem, until they reached "Edge of Great"; Luke watched her carefully through the song, and watched as she walked up to the piano as she would normally, but he could see the tension running through her. Her body language was full of fear. He continued his notes on the guitar as he slowly walked up to the piano waiting to see what she would do. He shared a small glance with Alex and Reggie who shared his concerned look.

Julie go to the piano bench and began to step onto it before panicking and falling backwards slightly as she jerked away from the piano. Luke rushed his steps and made sure to stabalize her. Her breathing was quick.

"Hey, it's okay. If you don't want to do this you don't have to."

"I need to do this Luke. If I let my fear of getting back up there keep holding me back from getting up there, then I will never get back up there."

"Ok, but are you ready for this?"

"My knee is fine-"

"You know that's not what I meant."

"I need to do this Luke."

"Okay, then what if we do this a little differently. You will still get on the piano okay? Do you trust me?" 

Julie took a deep breath before nodding. Luke walked over to Reggie

"It will sound a little different, but Reggie can you play my guitar part right there?" Luke asked quietly and Reggie nodded, "Okay, from the top."

They went through as they normally would, panic still rising in Julie's eyes as the piano part came closer, she kept glancing over at Luke, unsure of what he had planned.

When it got to the part, Julie slowly inched her steps to the piano seat, feeling as though the world was going in slow motion, she felt Luke's hand take her own and squeeze it tightly. She took her first step onto the bench, and could have sworn it shifted under her, but Luke continued to squeeze her hand and give her an encouraging look, so she took a deep breath and continued up the piano, sing parts she normally would have sung on the piano on her way up. She reached the top of the piano, as she began to stand and pull away from Luke, she once more felt the piano shift under her. She knew she was about to fall, but Luke squeezed her hand once more and stared up at her with a big bright smile; One that only she would ever receive. Once more she stands tall, pushing off the piano, and letting go of Luke's hand as she bouts out her lyrics. When she looks back down, Luke it right next to the piano, offering her a hand, she readily takes it and falls into his arms. Not in the fearful and scary way she did just weeks ago, but in a trusting and loving way. She knew he would always catch her.

\-------

So after writing the previous chapter I had a realization: Sunset Curve is their band name right? Okay, now think about it, when Julie finally sings, the song is "Wake Up", and the sun is rising behind her....

Also, please do leave requests, I will do them as I get the inspiration for each of them. I would prefer to give you a quality chapter that took me a bit to get to rather than a pathetic one quickly. Also I want to apologize for the lack of Flynn and Willie in this series. I love their characters, but haven't quiet grasped writing them yet. I really haven't grasped Alex or Reggie yet. Luke and Julie are the only ones I have any trust in my writing of, not to say it can't improve, but I feel safe writing them. I will try to add in everyone else more, but Juke is my comfort zone. I honestly usually don't post anything until I've grasped characters, but I was way too excited to write some of these to wait.

Please comment! It really does make me update faster!!! (Though it's not the only factor)

PS: Do yall prefer longer one shots that take a bit longer or shorter one shots where I post sooner, but also break into parts? Honestly this one could have stopped a lot sooner, but I got into it.

PPS: I have also learned my half asleep writings are yalls favorites lol

PPPS: (last one I swear) I do not own the "Home is Where my Horse is" Reggie's actor Jeremy Shada wrote and posted it, I tried to link it above.


	5. Speechless

The band had been practicing for hours trying out as many of the new songs Julie and Luke had written as they could, and prior to them practicing Luke and Julie had been writing said new songs. Several of which were them trying to test Julie's vocal range. They had been on a writing streak since their performance at the Orpheum, which was months ago but they were still riding on the high. By now, including their writing time, Julie had probably been singing off and on for around 7 hours, and her throat and voice were really starting to hurt. She was about to end practice when Luke jumped in with one more song. 

"Ok, I know we have been at this for hours and should probably take a break, but I want to do just one more song. It's one Julie and I wrote earlier, it's called "Hindsight". This one we really messed with ranges and sounds." Luke jumps in handing everyone the sheet music

"Luke, really, my throat hurts we have been at this for hours. We need a break."

"Just one more."

"Fine. Just one more." Julie agreed, thinking what's the worst that could happen? Well...

Luke began to strum on his electric guitar, soon followed by Reggie on base, then as Julie began singing, despite the pain coming from her vocal chords and throat, Alex jumped in on drums to meet her. Julie sang her lines leading into the chorus, the chorus where Luke really put her range to the test. Starting low, she slowly built her way up before shooting straight to the highest note she could reach, and that is when she felt a more intense pain in, but when the note finished it went back to normal. Julie thought silently to herself that she just had to finish this song then she could take a break; for the rest of the song she sang, but not full out. She didn't hit anymore of the high notes feeling the intense pain return anytime she did, and tried to sing softer to put less of a strain. Finally the song ended.

"Okay, so I like the sound of it overall. It needs cleaning, it was the first time that we played it, and I think Julie and I need to mess with some of the chords, but otherwise I liked it. Julie we will have to mess with some of the ranges, I think I went a little too far on some of them. But we may wait until we haven't been practicing all day before we mess with it and let you do it fresh." Luke assessed.

Julie went to speak only to realize nothing was coming out. A panicked look crossed her face while Luke's back was turned, but Reggie and Alex saw it clearly. They went to say something but Julie shook her head against it.

"So what are your plans for the rest of the day Luke?" Alex asked.

"I'm thinking about walking around some of our hang out and seeing what's changed, how about you guys?"

"Well, I think I am going to hang out with Ray again. We really are building a pretty close relationship." Reggie said with a smirk putting his bass guitar back on it's stand.

"I think I am going to hang out in here for a little bit, maybe watch a movie."

"What about you Julie?" Luke turns and asks only to find she has already left.

"Well have fun Luke!" Alex says as he opens up Julie's laptop pulling up Netflix.

Luke looks at Reggie and Alex a little oddly before shaking his head and flashing out.

Reggie flashed to Julie's bedroom door, and reached his hand through to knock before walking in.

"Hey you ok?" He asked concerned not entirely certain what had happened in the studio.

Julie just gave him a look before pulling out a notepad and a pen beginning to write.

"My throat was starting to hurt in those last songs and especially during the last song. When I sang that high note it really hurt, that's why I stopped singing full out for the rest of it. Now I've lost my voice." She wrote out passing it to Reggie.

Reggie took it and read it over really quick before passing the notepad back to her.

"'Well, then I have the perfect idea." He flashed out coming back just a moment later with a drink, "It's a Reggie special, tea, herbs, honey, a hint of ginger ale, and Reggie love."

Julie took the drink with a thankful smile, as she took a small sip she felt it smoothly flow down her throat.

"Why didn't you want Luke to know?" He asked curiously.

"He was so excited about stretching my range earlier and trying different things. Then he really wanted to do that last song because he was really proud of our lyrics and the way we intertwined the music into the flow, and I had asked to stop, but I couldn't tell him no, and if he knew I lost my voice because of that last song he would be beating himself up right now."

Julie wrote out on the notepad once more.

"That makes sense. He was just on such a streak, I don't think he wanted to stop, but we should have stopped when you said your throat hurt," Reggie explained what they both already knew, "Can I come sit next to you?" 

Julie nodded and patted the bed space next to her.

"Talk. About anything. Tell me about your life. I feel like I don't know much about any of you guys' past other than Luke's parents and the band, and even that I don't know much about." Julie wrote.

Reggie sat down next to her on the bed bouncing as he did, he left his shoes on the ground and put his feet up in-front of them. He read what she had written.

"Oh so you want to hear some stories, I have plenty of fun stories. Sit back and relax because it is now time for Reggie's Super Duper Storytime." Reggie stated before putting his arm around Julie and letting her lay her head on his shoulder. She was like the little sister he never had. He liked having Julie close, she felt like family, and now that she could finally feel them it made him feel a bit more normal. When he grew up his parent's were always too busy fighting to pay attention to him, and he never really got much physical contact, and now he relished in it any time he got it.

"Well there was this one time, where Alex had this amazing idea, and it was amazing, but only in theory, because you see he wanted to try drumming backwards. So we though it could be this really cool addition to the show right? Well... When he turned around and tried drumming behind his back he accidentally just threw his drumsticks, and somehow he had one hit Luke and the other hit Bobby. We wouldn't let him live it down for weeks. But then this whole backwards thing gave the rest of us an idea, so we all tried to figure out how to play our guitars backwards... Yeah let's just say we basically all failed miserably. Except Luke, he figured out how to do a few notes, so he only kind of failed, but it was really cool, even if the notes did not flow together at all. So we kind of just accepted that we should just play our instruments normally, but then I got and idea, what if we just played our songs backwards. Which seemed pretty straightforward until we just tried reading our sheet music backwards, which got really confusing. So we rewrote it all backwards. It was kind of cool to do. It didn't sound great but it was fun to try and my idea was the only one that didn't end in disaster." Reggie rambled on happy to tell stories. Eventually he decided on a new idea.

"Julie, do you know how to play the drums? Or a bass guitar?"

Julie shook her head.

"Then I have an idea." Reggie jumped up pulling her hand as he raced down to the studio. Where Alex sat still watching his movie, having figured Reggie had it all covered.

"Alex!! I had a wonderful idea, so you know how Julie can't talk or sing right now, what if we teach her how to play the drums or the bass guitar or both!" Reggie jumped up and down excited while Julie silently laughed at her friends excitement.

"Yeah, that could be kind of cool. So drums or bass first?"

Julie shrugged her shoulders.

"Then let's do drums, I'm sure you've learned some guitar from Luke, so let's go for something completely different. Plus I'm pretty sure your boyfriend wants to teach you guitar." Alex decided.

Julie rolled her eyes at the last part but walked over to the drums.

Alex began to show Julie some basic series of beats, while Reggie stood off the side being Julie's personal cheerleader.

Julie was beginning to figure it out a little bit when Luke flashed in.

"What are you guys doing?" Luke turned a little confused.

"Well, Ray was being kind of dull today and Alex couldn't pick a movie and Julie finished her chores so we decided to try and teach Julie how to play the drums. Well more like Alex did and I was just cheering her on." Reggie explained.

"So what have you figured out so far?" Luke asked intrigued to see what his girlfriend had picked up.

Julie just smirked before attempting the series Alex had been showing her earlier, it wasn't perfect, but it also wasn't bad considering she had only been learning for like an hour.

"Not bad, I'll have to teach you guitar some time."

"See I told you your boyfriend would want to teach you guitar." Alex commented laughing while Julie shook her head.

"So any other plans for the day Julie?" Luke asked hoping for them to maybe go off on their own, other than writing music they hadn't done anything just the two of them recently, and he missed the quiet moments with her.

"Well I know she was talking about this movie to Alex earlier that she says we really need to see, what if we watch that?" Reggie jumped in before Luke would realize Julie couldn't talk.

"Yeah, I think you said it was called "High School Musical" it was directed by this guy Kenny Ortega, he was the one who did Newsies, and she said the music was really fun too. Apparently it's a classic." Alex jumped in catching onto what Reggie was doing, Julie nodded her head before walking over to her laptop and hooking it up to the tv her dad had recently put into the studio. She pulled up Disney Plus and started the movie joining the boys in getting comfortable in their various locations in the studio. 

Alex preferred the big round chair and would curl up in it with a blanket and a pillow, while Reggie would make a mini pillow fort and pile on the floor and lean up against Alex's chair whilst covered in a blanket. Luke went for his couch, a place that used to be a Luke only zone until Julie began joining him. He would lean against it at an angle letting her lean against his chest before covering them in a blanket. If Julie fell asleep like this he could easily shift her head into his lap and let her sleep comfortably, and sometimes she laid like that just because it was comfy and she enjoyed it when Luke ran his fingers through her hair.

The movie began, and Reggie realized a small problem in his wonderful plan. The movie was meant to prevent the need to talk but Luke usually got distracted thanks to his adhd, and would ask questions and need to be reminded of things. He was beginning to get suspicious about something going on since Julie hadn't answered any of his questions and rather Alex and Reggie were jumping in trying to answer. Usually he quietly asked Julie so he wouldn't interrupt the others, and she would whisper back the answer and they would keep going.

But eventually, Luke directly asked Julie a question, and he asked it softly enough that the guys couldn't hear what he had asked, but Julie would.

When no response came back he sat up slightly more double checking to make sure Julie hadn't fallen asleep and that was why he wasn't getting any answers from her, when he saw she was awake he asked his question once more.

Julie opened her mouth and strained to get a whisper to come out, but whisper came out harsh and jagged, in serious contrast to her usual voice. This immediately set off red flags in Luke's mind.

"Julie, are you okay? Your voice?" Luke shot up quickly from his slouched position.

Julie just nodded, but she knew she was caught. It wasn't losing her voice she was worried about with Luke, it was him blaming himself for it. She didn't blame him, she could have just stopped if she wanted to, but she knew he would blame himself.

"No, Julie, answer with your voice."

"Yeah- I'm fine." Julie strained out once more, this time it came out slightly higher than the previous whisper, but it was also accompanied by even more of a harsh and jagged sound.

"Julie, what's wrong with you voice? Did the high notes make you lose your voice? Oh no did they hurt your vocal chords? I should have stopped when you said it, you said your throat was hurting and I ignored you an insisted we played one more song, I should have just stopped then. I mean you flat out told me no and that you were hurting-" Luke rambled before he was cut-off by Julie's lips meeting his own.

"Chill dude, it's not your fault and she doesn't blame you." Reggie told him.

"Yeah, she could have put her foot down and stopped if she wanted to, but she thought she was fine for one more song. You just trusted she knew her limits, and she just misjudged them this time. It's no ones fault." Alex continued for Reggie.

"But-"

"Nope." Reggie stopped him.

"Now let's get back to High School Musical, I really need to see how they are going to pull off this audition mess." Alex stated pressing play on the remote to continue their movie.


	6. Hall of Fame and Broken Bonds Part 1

The years flew by for Julie and the Phantoms, after the Orpheum they were contacted by managers and labels, they started playing all over the Los Angeles during the school year and some touring during the summer, once Julie graduated they began touring constantly and playing music all the time. Trevor had helped make them official now that they were able to make themselves corporeal and be seen whenever they wanted, but also were able to retain their ghostly powers. For all accounts and purposes they were alive again, they ate, they slept, they had a heartbeat, they were warm, and they aged, but not they could still teleport and be walked through. To keep up the hologram and phantom side of their performance, their first song they always flashed in for, and would flash off at the end of it before walking in from the sides to join Julie 'physically'. Each phantom reunited with their family and explained everything before they thought they were going crazy when they saw them on tv. It was emotional, but worth it.

Reggie's parents had split shortly after his death realizing they had nothing left to hold their relationship together and each remarried. 

Alex's parents realized what a mistake they had made for judging their son for being who he was and began speaking out for his beliefs.

Luke's parents, well they were shocked, and it gave Luke a lot more closure, even more so then Unsaid Emily.

They each went to visit them often.

Then there was Ray, well he was a bit freaked out and confused at first, but quickly adapted to the ghosts that weren't really ghosts anymore who lived in their studio. Soon enough they had just become a part of their household, which lead to the series of explanations to their aunt about how yes they were ghosts but she didn't need to run from their house.

By 2022 they were selling out stadiums, and were a household name. Touring constantly while Luke and Julie wrote their music, the two song writers finally having admitted feelings for each other, but not everything is meant to play out wonderfully.

Just as Reggie had jokingly predicted, they had a huge falling out in 2032.

\----

Julie walked out of the recording studio having just finished her new single for her next solo album. After Julie and the Phantoms broke up she went solo... and so did Luke. They had not been seen together in 5 years. She had seen Alex and Reggie on occasion, and the same went for them and Luke. The world as a whole was not entirely certain as to what had happened between the once rock star couple. They were engaged when suddenly the band was no more. Since then the only time Luke and Julie were seen in the same room was for award shows, with their music competing against each other. Both had one their fair share of awards since they had gone solo, and the first year everyone was waiting for something to happen, but they wouldn't even look at each other.

Reggie and Alex had gone on to play for different things, sometimes joining Luke or Julie during tours or special performances, but never did they all play together for 5 years.

As she walked out her assistant informed her of the news, Julie and the Phantoms were to be inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of fame. She froze where she stood. Normally this would be a huge thing to celebrate, but this wasn't normal. They hadn't played together much less seen each other in 5 years. They were being inducted, and she had to be there.

Across the city Luke was sitting in his house strumming his guitar, when he got a call from his manager.

"Luke." He answered emotionless.

"I have great news for you, Julie and the Phantoms is being inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of fame."

Luke froze. This was his chance. Julie would be there.

Meanwhile Alex and Reggie were receiving the same information, before getting a call from Ray Molina inviting them both to a celebratory dinner along with Julie.

Even Ray didn't know the full story of their big break-up, but he knew it was messy. He also knew better to invite Luke to this dinner. He had considered it.

They all readily agreed to a dinner together, as long as there were no hot dogs.

"So the Rock and Roll hall of fame, that's huge for you guys." Ray complimented serving the food.

"I mean yeah, it is..." Alex agreed, none of them quiet sure what to say. 

They had all taken the break-up bad. They were a family, and then suddenly that family was fractured.

They had a dinner filled with conversation that involved anything but the elephant in the room, and it was a rather large elephant. They caught up on what each other had been doing recently, and different plans. When they finished, Reggie, Alex, and Julie walked into the place that held far more memories than anywhere else: the studio.

Each took their respective places, Alex the big chair, Reggie the floor, and Julie sat at her piano not wanting to go where she used to, Luke's couch.

"So, how are we going to do this?" Alex asked.

"Well, I guess we perform, accept the award and then split back off. I don't know what else to do." Reggie said.

"You know that it's next to impossible to ever have it be that simple. This is the Rock and Roll hall of fame, and with it comes reunion tours, press junkets, interviews galore, all of our old music playing on the radio even more than it does already. It won't be as simple as walking on the stage and walking off." Julie stated with her arms crossed.

"What if instead of seeing him onstage for the first time we see him before that. So it's not on stage where we have to confront each other." Reggie suggested.

"I know we've hung out with him a few times in recent years, "Alex started talking about the handful of times over the five years that he and Reggie had seen and talked to Luke, " and he really seems sorry Julie. I'm not going to say you need to forgive him, but maybe just talk to him again. He still isn't over it."

Julie shot a glare at him from the piano.

"Look, I'm just saying, it's not a bad idea to talk to him. It's been five years. I was furious with him at first, both for myself and the band and for you. He hurt us all. Maybe it's time to be all in the same room again."

"You both know what he did, and he didn't just do it to me; he did it to all of us."

Reggie sat there silently, their break-up hit him hard emotionally. He had his issues from his parents fighting when he was alive the first time. Their screams and yells. The fear that their family would break apart. It was something he felt comfortable about when it came to the band. They were a constant, and he could never see them breaking up, but when they did he took it hard. The stable, seemingly unbreakable familial bond he had was broken, and he didn't know what to do. He built himself back up over the years, but his trust was seriously fractured. More so than it was originally.

Julie sat there stewing on what Alex was saying, but it seemed they didn't have much a choice in the matter when a flash was seen onto the piece of furniture no one had sat on in five years.

They all jumped when they saw who had landed on Luke's couch: Luke. 

For the first time in five years, Luke and Julie were only a few feet apart.

Luke looked up to see who he had flashed in on. His eyes widened quickly.

"I-I- I didn't know you guys were in here I just-"

"Get. Out." Julie spoke, her first words to him in five years were words he was familiar with when he first met her. Her constantly telling them to get out and stay out of her room. Now though he wasn't sure if she was referring to the room, or her life. Her eyes were filled with a fire, one that struck Luke straight to his heart.

When he sat there frozen Julie stood up and stormed out of the studio, when she pushed past her father headed up to her room she heard her father questioning behind her but didn't bother to stop and answer him, too worried about getting as far away as she could from Luke without leaving her old home.

"Not cool dude." Reggie stated after Julie had left.

"I didn't know you guys were in here. I flash in here every now and then, it reminds me of the good days. I've never been in here at the same time as someone else." Luke weakly defended.

"You hurt her bad Luke. You hurt us, but we had less to forgive. You walked out on us Luke. Without a word. You left." Alex glared him down.

"You know what you did. No apology can fix what you broke." Reggie added. Their protective big brother side was coming out.

"I know I screwed up. Like seriously screwed up. Like seriously, but I need you all back. I've tried to talk to Julie again for five years. I messed up. I wish I could go back and stop myself from messing up so bad, but I can't. I can only beg for forgiveness that I don't deserve. I know that I don't. I know what I did you guys will never forget." Luke pleaded.

"Dude. It's not unforgivable, we forgave you, but it's also most certainly not forgettable. You know we will probably never trust you like we used to, but with Julie, you didn't just break her trust as a bandmate, or as family, but you also broke her heart in more ways than one." 

Luke looked to Alex before placing his head in his hands.

"All I am asking is to be in the same room as her."

"We will mention it, but we make absolutely no promises. This is entirely up to her. If she say no we will not argue with her." 

Alex and Reggie walked out of the studio, not wanting to just flash outside her bedroom door, where they knew she would be. They walked through the pathway leading to the back entrance to the house, once they entered they saw Ray looking extremely confused.

"What happened?" Ray asked bluntly not sure what else to ask.

"Luke flashed into the studio." Alex said simply.

Ray's eyes widened unsure of how to respond.

"I may not know the full story, and because of that, I hope you two handle this well with Julie. I don't know what to tell her or how to help her. I also don't know what I could possibly go say to Luke out there." Ray told them, "She's in her room."

"We figured." Reggie said with a small smile nodding at his trust. Before they began walking up the stairs.

They came up to her door and paused for a moment looking at each other before reaching their hands through the door to knock. After hearing a soft come in they walked through the door.

"What does he want?" Julie stated not turning towards them staring dead ahead out her window in the direction of the studio.

"To talk. We only told him we would tell you that's what he wanted. We wouldn't try to sway you either way. This is entirely up to you." Alex told her, both of them slowly approaching her from behind before wrapping their arms around her shoulders on each side and laying their heads on her shoulders. Comforting her in a way that never failed. Ever since the guys became corporeal touch was their greatest form of comfort. Just a simple touch amongst themselves could send waves of calmness. Especially between Luke and Julie, until their break-up they rarely went more than five minutes not having any sort of contact.

"Well, why not get it over with and get him out of our studio." Julie said after taking a deep breath.

"Do you want us to flash you outside the doors?" Reggie asked knowing the more she prolonged it the more likely she would be to talk herself out of it, and despite what happened he would like to see them all in the same room again. He missed his family being whole.

"Sure."

"Do you want us in there with you?" Alex asked.

"No, but I want you guys close. Out of ear-shot and sight, but still able to hear the volume." Julie told them, it wasn't that she didn't still feel safe with Luke. She knew he would never physically hurt her, but if the guys were at least near then she could feel an extra level of comfort without worrying about them getting in the middle.

Julie took another deep breath before nodding her head and they flashed her to just outside the studio doors. She looked to each of them before nodding her head at each of them. They nodded back and flashed across the yard to the backdoor. Close enough to hear if something drastic happened, but not close enough to understand what was being said or be seen.

With their flash away, Julie opened the door and Luke looked up.

Their eyes met and an infinite series of emotions ran through each of their eyes and minds.

\---

TBC

So I got this idea form that one line Reggie says, and then also a story on Archive of Our Own, if you want the link let me know. So part 2 should be soon, but I kind of wanted to leave you guys on a cliffhanger and make you think about it. I am welcome to theories and suggestions of how you think this will/should go, because I haven't officially decided so if I see something that sticks out I may add it in. Please leave requests and reviews, I adore constructive criticism. I wills start doing requests soon now that I am getting a better grasp of the characters, I am also thinking about putting 2 prompt options for y'all to vote on for the next chapter (though I wouldn't always follow the votes if I come up with something better before I write the other) Let me know what you guys think.

I WILL POST A FEW MORE CHAPTERS TOMORROW WRITING


	7. Hall of Fame and Broken Bonds Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, I completely forgot I was uploading on here!

So the long awaited part 2 is finally here, note there are 2 songs featured in this that are not mine, I have put a link to each song as it appears in the story. I highly recommend listening to them as you read it, but I also put the lyrics in here with commentary in between so don't miss that. Also please leave me comments as you read by selecting the text! I would love to know your thoughts as you go, and how quickly you start crying.

PS: WARNING: Tears are highly likely.

Without further adieu, I present to you, Part 2...

Julie pulled the door open as Luke looked up at her, and a million emotions flashed across their eyes as they met. For a moment Julie considered turning back and running, but she stopped herself, if she didn't do this now she would have to do it on stage in front of an audience or she would never do it. It was now or never, and yes she did realize the connection to the Sunset Curve song, which Luke wrote which most certainly was further messing with her head.

"So talk." Julie said simply trying to hide any panic and fear as she walked to sit on her piano bench. It was far enough away from Luke that they couldn't reach over and touch one another, and she had plenty of space around herself to feel like she was out of reach despite the fact he could just flash next to her, but also close enough that they could talk at a normal to softer volume to be heard without straining. 

"Julie, I- I am so sorry. I royally screwed up that night, and I know it, and I know I screwed up again when I came back. I know I messed up like crazy, and I know I don't deserve forgiveness, and you will never forget what I did, but I have to ask you to knowing that you won't. I am so sorry for what I did that night and the next time I saw you and I wish I could just go back in time and stop myself from getting to that point and stop myself from leaving and stop myself from screwing everything up. I loved you Julie. I still lov-"

"No. You don't get to say that. Not after everything." Julie stopped him, she had talked herself into hearing him out, but that didn't mean she had to take everything.

"Ok, you get to set those boundaries. I screwed up." Luke accepted, slightly shocking Julie, "I shouldn't have left, and I really shouldn't have left the way I did. I messed up. Bad. I know when I saw you next I messed it up even worse."

Julie and Luke both thought back to the night he left. The night everything changed. 

\----

They had just finished a show on their tour. They were walking off stage after doing their second encore and had full intentions of all going back to their hotel suite (it had 3 bedrooms) and laying out in the huge living room, ordering pizza, and chilling before heading to bed and crashing.

Julie leaned against her fiancée as he wrapped an arm around her, tired from coming off their adrenaline rush from the show, they went to walk out the backstage door to walk to the car waiting to bring them back to their hotel. When the doors opened they were met with bright flashes and people screaming their names. Julie instinctively lifted her head off of Luke's shoulder as they went to meet a few of the fans before getting to the car. She walked to a group and began signing posters and programs that were being pushed towards her, turning and taking some fans phones before doing a selfie and handing it back to them. She made her way through the line, glancing over every now and then at her fiancée, though one time she looked over and it wasn't fans he was surrounded by, rather he was being hounded by press camera and microphones, she knew he hated those being in his face. He did it for the music not to be famous, and when they shoved those in his face he felt like he was being treated like and object the press owned rather than a musician, but she knew from prior experience if she walked over there it would only be worse because "Juke" would be together. So she continued down the line of fans signing autographs and taking selfies, trying to get a word in with a few fans when she could hear what they were saying over the screams and shouts surrounding her. She glanced over and saw Reggie and Alex doing the same. They all made it to the end of the lines at about the same time, and at some point security had freed Luke from the press allowing him to talk to a few fans and sign something for them. Due to the press stopping him he hadn't reached the end at the same time as the rest of the band so Julie made her way over to him, and began signing autographs with him and taking selfies with the fans and him, and taking some of just him and the fans from a few steps away with their phones. Soon enough, after the fans freaked out of having "juke" taking pictures with them they made it to the end where the slid into the awaiting car with Reggie and Alex.

"Wow, I don't care how many times we've done that over the past 10 years, I swear they manage to get louder every time." Alex said with wide eyes.

"Yea, I'm not sure how much louder they can get. I'm honestly glad I usually haven't lost the adrenaline high by the time we get out there because it dampens the sound." Reggie added as they all nodded in agreement.

Speaking of adrenaline high, Julie was once more coming off of hers and leaning up against Luke, looking half asleep. Luke knew once they got back to the hotel she would catch a new wind to eat the pizza with them and watch a movie or something before they would crash into bed. So he simply wrapped his arm around her shoulders and laid his head on hers. Listening the Alex and Reggie mindlessly chatter, adding in something every now and then as they made their way back to the hotel. Julie had fallen asleep against him at some point in the ride. Thanks to their own concert they had gotten stuck in traffic for almost an hour on a drive that should have taken no more than 30 minutes.

As Julie slept and Reggie and Alex occupied themselves, he couldn't help but let his mind wander. Wander in directions he rarely allowed it to.

He loved the music. He loved the band. He loved the performance. He loved interacting with fans. But he hated the fame, the press, the harsh interviews, the judgement that had nothing to do with the music, the gossip, and most of all he hated the way the pressed viewed them as objects they owned. They weren't allowed at the stage doors, they were always very strict about that being a Julie and Phantoms policy. The stage door was for fans only. No press. They would not do interviews out there, but every now and then a group snuck in and it infuriated him. He wanted to talk to the fans, or Phans as they had declared themselves, and he wanted to hear how their music impacted them and how it connected with them. That's what their music was about: connecting with people. Sometimes he hated their rise to fame because of the media that came with it. It didn't help the press at times tried to convince him Julie shouldn't be with him, he hated that they thought they had any right to that part of his life. He hated when they tried to push their way into his personal life- or any of the bands personal life. That wasn't what they put on display. It was their music. If they shared anything from their personal lives it was on their social media where they tried to interact with their phans. They had fun doing live streams with them, or polls, or just giving them a glimpse into their life. Alex and Reggie loved to try and sneak pictures of him and Julie writing music and posting them. It was where they could control what parts of their personal life were shared, and when they were writing it was personal, but it was also to do with the music; which was what it was all about, but it seemed the more they played the less it became about the music.

He was pulled from his wandering thoughts when they arrived back to the hotel. He shook Julie gently to wake her up.

She awoke slowly before realizing they were back at the hotel, while they could use the back entrance they sometimes used the front so they could meet a few more fans. This being one of the times they chose the front. 

Julie blinked herself awake, before leaning up and kissing Luke, nothing long or too passionate, but just a gentle reminder of her love and something to lift his spirits from the press earlier and prep them both for the wild storm that was circling the car. Taking a deep breath they filed out.

There were significantly less people waiting for them outside the hotel compared to outside the stadium, so they go through it much faster and headed straight up to their suite.

They walked in and Alex flopped into the big lounge chair, Reggie just laid down on the floor, he had an obsession with laying on the floor, while Julie and Luke took the couch. 

Alex grabbed the remote and began flipping through the channels trying to find something for them to watch while a phone was passed around to order pizza. Eventually Alex found Star Wars a New Hope and they watched it as they waited on pizza while Reggie occasionally made comments about how he couldn't believe they killed off Han Solo.

Julie got up and went to their shared room to change into sweatpants and one of Luke's shirts wanting to get out of her performance get up. She came back and leaned up against Luke's side and wrapped them in a blanket as she watched the movie with her boys. 

Eventually a knock was heard at their door alerting them of their pizza having arrived. Reggie jumped up from the floor and rushed to grab the pizza from the pizza guy. He came back over with the pizzas they separated them out.

None of them realizing this would be their final post show pizza night for at least 5 years if not forever.

They ate in silence just watching the movie oblivious to the fact everything was about to change.

\----

Luke was brought back to the present time when Julie spoke.

"I wish all the time I could go back to that night and relish in those final moment of Julie and the Phantoms... and of us. To go back to the night where everything seemed ok."

"But it wasn't ok. Not even that night. I put on a good face and you know it." Luke practically whispered out.

"You put on a good act, I never saw it coming, even after our talk that night."

Julie put her head down as they were both swept back into the memories of the past.

\----

Luke kept his one arm around Julie nearly the entire night while they ate and watched the movie, but his mind was focused on his thoughts from earlier, not the movie.

Eventually they all went to their bedrooms to crash.

Julie sat on their bed waiting on Luke to change and come back from brushing his teeth.

She was glad she hadn't had any product in her hair that night so she could just crash and take a shower in the morning having already washed all of her make-up off.

Luke walked over to the bed shirtless, he never could sleep when he felt restrained by a shirt, he could barely manage sleeves somedays. He had a look on his face that told Julie he was deep in thought.

"Hey, what's on your mind?"

"Nothing, I just keep spacing."

"Luke, you know I know you better than that. What's up?"

"I don't know, it's just the longer we go into this, the less it seems to be about the music."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when we started we were all about the music, and making the connection with the people who heard it, and I don't think we've compromised our writing, that's not what I mean. More so we've turned into this image and these items that the media owns. They tell whatever stories they want and ask whatever they want and invade our private lives. I honestly can't remember the last time I was asked about our music, not how we thought it would do at an awards show, or how hot I looked in the video, but just about the meaning behind the song, the connection we are trying to make. The media has turned us into these objects that they think they control. Then they try and pry into our private lives. Then they twist whatever they find. It seems like no one cares about the music anymore. The more popular we get the less it seems they care about the music."

"Hey, those fans, some may just be there to see my fiancee and my best friends great looks, but the ones who are there for the music, for the connection; they are are the ones we do it for. They are the ones who matter in the crowd. Not the press who just wants to make a few bucks, but those people we do touch. The people we inspire."

"I don't know."

"Come see." Julie pulled the blankets to the side and patted his side of the bed. He walked over and laid down next to her. "I've seen the stories. I know what they try to twist, but I've also seen the stories from our "phans", the ones who write about how much our music has impacted their lives. The ones who are inspired not only by our music but by who we are. I've see several stories about people who gained the courage to come out because of Alex. I've seen the stories about people who have spoken up about the constant screams in their homes because of their parents fighting, and have been able to find escapes because of Reggie. I've seen stories of people who started trying to write music because of you. I've seen the stories of people who push through their adhd because you can. I've seen the stories of the people who are no longer embarrassed that they can't handle wearing sleeves for long because of their adhd because of you. You are connecting with them. Our music is connecting with them, but some people don't want to listen so they will never connect, but it's worth it for those who we do connect with."

"But Julie, I've seen those stories. But sometimes... sometimes they just don't seem like enough, and the longer we go the less of those we see. The more we turn into this image of the complete opposite of what we are. The articles aren't about the music anymore, it's about what we wore where, what we ate, who we are dating. Or worse, who we are supposedly cheating on. I trust you and I know you trust me, but it doesn't mean that seeing those words around us don't hurt."

"Just, take a break from all of those articles. Just stop reading it all. Just breathe."

"But Julie, it's everywhere. I can't escape any of it. It follows me, and then it's filled with all of these expectations. All of these standards they want me to live up to. Sometimes all I can see is flashbacks with my parents, as they try to mold me into this person I'm not."

Julie finally realized the root of the problem, it wasn't just the press surrounding him, or the fake fans, it was the expectations that came with their growth. He had had freak outs like this before, but it had been years.

"Luke, they can't change you. Only you can change yourself and if you don't want to you don't have to. You are perfect just the way you are."

Luke nodded his head, acting like Julie's words had gotten through to him as they normally would have, but tonight they couldn't manage to get through to him.

He pulled her closer, deciding if he was going to do what he was thinking about.

As he thought, Julie laid her head on his chest and wrapped her around him.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Luke laid awake that night despite his exhaustion from the show. Well shows. They had been going practically non stop for ten years. Ten years of writing, performing, touring, a new city every night, recording, press junkets, award shows, repeat. They never seemed to stop and just enjoy the world. He loved their music, but sometimes he just yearned for those moments where they sat in the studio, strumming random chords just hanging out. No prying eyes, just the four of them. Sometimes five or six if you added Flynn or Ray in. Or actually seven if you counted Willie. He came around every now and then still, but no where near as often as he had in the early days. Alex realized they were better off as friends, but as Reggie once said, " You never forget your first ghost." they were still good friends, but nothing more. Reggie and Alex had each dated a handful of people over the years, but no one ever really stuck. They were never in one place long enough for anyone to stick. He and Julie were lucky to be with each other constantly, but sometimes he missed those nights where it was just the two of them sitting in her mom's studio writing, and just being together. Having their movie nights. Eating popcorn. Asking each other any question they could think of no matter how small just wanting to know every little small detail about the other. Like how Julie hated bananas, but she adored cherries. She loved hugs from behind when she wasn't ready for them. She loved their random touches, just reminding each other they were nearby. She loved laying on his chest to sleep because she felt close to him and could feel him breathing remind her he was with her. She loved sprinkles on her ice cream. She always cut her entire steak before she took her first bite. Just the little things, but they were the biggest things to him.

All of that added up to reasons he shouldn't do what he had been considering doing, but did they outweigh his reasons to do it?

He laid there contemplating it, until the sun began to rise on a new day. A day that would change everything.

He made his decision. He needed to run. His fight or flight had kicked in, and he didn't think he had any fight left in him. He couldn't handle the voices and expectations that surrounded him, and he couldn't handle how far away he felt their image had drifted from who they were. He needed a break. A pause, and he needed it now.

He slowly pulled himself out from underneath Julie, and grabbed a sleeveless hoodie. Then his packed bag, and he flashed from the room after placing a gentle kiss upon her forehead.

He went to the one place he knew he would feel at home for a few minutes. Somewhere Julie wouldn't search first, but somewhere he had a limited time to visit before that became the next place on the list to check: the studio.

He flashed in and set his bags down on the ground, he made himself invisible as he could do, but he would still be able to be seen by Julie and any other ghost.

He flopped onto his couch. A place that never failed to help him clear his mind.

He laid there, but no matter how deeply he thought on the couch that usually cleared everything up, nothing would make sense. He couldn't figure out what to do. But running away worked last time right? He joined the band full-time with the guys, he was able to write. He was free. He wasn't surrounded by expectations that didn't line up with who he was. He could be whoever it was he wanted to be. He could be himself, but he could be himself around Julie and Reggie and Alex. Last time he ran he had somewhere to run to. This time he seemed lost with no directions to guide him. He had a map, but there were no trails to follow, no signs, just a blank piece of paper.

He wasn't sure what to do anymore, but he still felt the urge to run. So he did. Uncertain of his destination.

Meanwhile Julie began to wake up from her exhausted slumber, the first thing she noticed was the lack of Luke, his space in the bed was cold. He hadn't been there in a while. She then grabbed her phone, and saw it was nearly noon. She quickly rationalized he had woken up before her and didn't want to wake her up but was ready to get up. It didn't happen often, but on occasion it did. She stretched, before getting up and walking into the shared area of the suite, only to see only two of her boys.

"Hey Alex, Reggie." She greeted yawning.

"Good afternoon!" Reggie said extremely chipper.

"Luke still asleep?" Alex laughed.

"I thought he was with you guys?"

"What do you mean? We haven't seen him since we all went to bed last night. We thought you guys were still asleep, so we just left you guys be. We knew you were exhausted last night and figured Luke would just lay with you." Alex explained.

"No, I woke up a few minutes ago, and his spot was cold like he hadn't been there in hours."

"That's weird."

"Yeah."

Julie quickly thinking the worst rushed to their room only to realize his bag was gone too.

"Guys! His stuff is gone."

"So that rules out another Caleb situation, even if it is highly unlikely since we dealt with him years ago, but it does mean he left on his own." Reggie rationalized.

"But why would he leave?" Alex questioned.

"He was upset last night, talking about how he didn't feel like our fans were ones who really wanted to connect to the music, and that he was feeling the pressure from all of the expectations being placed on him by the media, but I thought he felt better. We talked and he seemed a lot calmer and not so upset. I thought I got through to him." Julie began to panic.

"You don't think he ran do you?" Reggie asked looking at Alex.

"He did run last time expectations became too high for him and didn't fit who he was with his mom. If he was as upset as you said he was last night, he might have, but he ran to us then. I don't know where he would run now." 

"The studio." Reggie realized. "He ran there last time, we were just there. He still feels safe there."

Alex and Reggie look to Julie who hold each of their hands as they flash to the studio. They see no sign of Luke and flash back to the hotel.

They panicked. They called his phone countless times. No answer. 

They gave in and called their manager, let him know what was going on. He prepped a story about how Luke was sick, and wouldn't be at the next few concerts so he could rest and recover and had it set to release if he didn't show up by the day of their next concert which was two days away.

Those two days passed as Julie panicked and agonized over what could have happened, and where he could have gone. They checked everywhere they could think of constantly. The studio, his parents house, the beach, their old hangouts, they even checked Julies old school, hoping for any sign of him at all. They found none.

The news was aired that Luke wouldn't be at any of the concerts until he had recovered and been well rested.

They performed, but Julie's heart wasn't in it without him. Alex and Reggie's hearts weren't either. They were worried about Luke.

Finally a week and a half later, Luke showed up.

They had just gotten back from the last show of the tour, they had done five shows without him.

He flashed into their hotel room just before they got there and placed his head in his hands. They walked in and froze for a moment, Reggie not seeing through Julie and Alex ran right into this.

"Guys, why'd you stop-" Reggie's eyes widened to match the others as he saw what they saw.

Julie pushed forward

"Luke!" She rushed forward and wrapped him in a hug.

He just sat there.

"Are you okay man?" Reggie asked walking up slowly.

"Look I shouldn't have run off." Luke started, and in this moment they didn't care that he had run off without a word, they were just happy he was back.

"It's ok, your back now-" Julie started before Luke cut her off.

He had thought a lot over the past week and a half, and he had made a few... clouded realizations.

"No. I'm not. I shouldn't have run off, but I'm glad I did. I needed away. The expectations were to high. I shouldn't have run off, because I never should have gotten to the point of running off. I should have never been a part of Julie and the Phantoms. I should have never helped you sing again. It's become twisted from what we once were. We are phantoms of who we started out as. We never should have started this band. I never should have joined Sunset Curve. All it's lead to is problems. I lost my parents because of my music. Music is just a curse. Julie you would have been better off without music in your life. All it did was ruin it. It ruined my life and it's ruined yours." By this point words are just pouring out of his mouth, he is pushing everyone as far away as he can, because if he could do that he wouldn't be able to feel hurt. If no one was close, no one could impose their expectations upon him. He didn't mean anything he was saying, but he said it like he meant it, and he was trying to strike home. " Alex, you just use it as an outlet for your anxiety. That's weak. You shouldn't need something to help you with it, you should just deal with it. Reggie, all you can do is play bass. How sad is that? You try to make up for the lack of brains by using a few strings. Maybe that's why you parents could never bother to stop arguing and talk to you. You were just a useless disappointment. Music is the worst thing that happened to all of us. Especially you Julie. We never should have met, at least then you never would have found your way back to music, and that would have been for the best. You know we carry you in every performance. You were just a pity case, you were the only way we could be seen. I don't know why we stayed with you after we got rid of that limitation. Music is just a curse. You should have just left it out of your life after you mom died. Because you know what music only causes pain. Your mom dying just helped to kill off music. Just as music should die." 

Julie was in tears eyes wide. She couldn't believe what Luke was saying, she knew he didn't mean it, he couldn't have, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt. He knew her too well, he knew every point he could strike. She knew he kept talking but all she could hear was the pulse of blood in hear ears. She could see the continuous looks of anger and fury upon his face. Things she rarely ever saw on his face, and never to this extent. It scared her.

Finally Reggie and Alex came out of their stupor and grabbed Luke by each of his arms and flashed out of the room.

"How dare you say those things to her!" Alex started first, Reggie didn't think he had ever heard Alex raise his voice or speak with such anger.

Luke froze as his words caught up with him brain.

Alex watched has Luke's eyes widened. Reggie shook his head before flashing back to Julie to comfort her.

"Not cool man." Reggie said as he departed.

Reggie flashed in to see Julie with her arms wrapped around her legs, shaking and crying.

"Hey, he didn't mean any of it."

"I know, but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt any less. He struck every nerve he could. He used everything I entrusted him with against me." She cried into Reggie's chest.

He just wrapped her in a hug, because crying girls still scared him and he wasn't sure what else to do. So he just held her and rocked her gently, humming one of his country songs into her ear. 

Eventually Alex flashed in to see their hug and joined in on the group hug.

"Look's like it didn't take Reggie twenty-five years this time." He joked hoping to lighten the mood just a little bit and get a small smile out of Julie, but he received nothing for his efforts.

They just sat there for a while in a group hug, mourning. Mourning their lost friend, lost fiancée in one's case, the loss of their band. The missing piece of the family.

Eventually the news of Julie and the Phantoms broke. 

Julie refused to see Luke again, and Luke felt too guilty about what he had said to even try to talk to her.

He felt the need to return to their studio, just one last time, so he waited until he knew no one was home and flashed in.

He sat there once again mourning what he has lost, knowing it was his own fault.

So he turned to the one thing that had to work, music.

He grabbed his guitar and his journal and just let it pour out.

He cried. He finally let himself crack.

He finished his song, feeling as raw as he did after writing "Unsaid Emily".

He stared at his finished piece. He wasn't entirely sure what to do with it. He wanted Julie to hear his words, but he knew he couldn't face her. So he left it up to chance, and set his closed journal on her piano, with the song dog eared. He took one last look around the place he felt most at home and flashed away.

Julie's emotions morphed from love to hate. She couldn't despise him all the way. There were too many memories there. Too many good ones, but the final one tainted every other one. She wanted to hate him. She really did, but the closest she could get was a mix of I hate you, I love you.

She took a few months off of music, and she didn't sing. She couldn't bring herself to. That was something she did with Luke. She decided to go to her childhood home for a few weeks. She placed her engagement ring into her dream box and closed it. Finally she convinced herself to go into her mom's studio. It took her a while, and Ray could only see history repeating itself.

Rose died, and Julie just shut down and stopped singing. Now Luke did whatever he did, Ray still didn't know, and his daughter had once again shut down and stopped everything to do with music.

He felt a little hope when she went back into the studio. It was a step, and it was a step she was taking a lot sooner than the last time she refused to go in there.

Julie took a deep breath before entering, she walked in an saw in undisturbed from the last time she was in there. It looked the same as when the band was still whole. It looked like time had just frozen in there. She went to sit at her piano, avoiding Luke's couch and guitars at all costs, but as she sat down she saw Luke's journal sitting there. She knew he had it with him when they were on tour, which meant he had stopped by here since then. 

She saw a page was dog eared, and curiosity got the best of her, and she opened to the song he had written just after he ran.

She read it slowly. Not realizing what had been going through his head. She realized it was worse than he let her see.

The title struck her hard: I Lost Myself.

I lost myself that night  
I threw it all away  
Those are the things I've hated  
Then I went and caved in  
I'm a mess right now  
My heart is in two places  
Half is back at home  
The other's off and racing 

I've been Running and running and running and running away

I know they'll catch me  
Running and running and running two opposite ways  
Two opposite ways I can't let my past catch me now, me now  
I can't let my past drag me down, me down I lost myself that night  
I threw it all away  
Recall my mother's words  
But it was far too late  
I feel the burden now  
It's weighing down my soul  
And I can't catch my breath  
'Cause these demons follow 

I've been Running and running and running and running away

I know they'll catch me  
Running and running and running two opposite ways  
Two opposite ways I can't let my past catch me now, me now

I can't let my past drag me down, me down  
I can't let my past catch me now, me now  
I can't let my past drag me down, me down 

Swear I've changed  
But you don't care that  
I'm not the same  
You'll always haunt me I swear I've changed  
But you don't care that  
I'm not the same 

I can't let my past catch me now, me now  
I can't let my past drag me down, me down  
I can't let my past catch me now, me now  
I can't let my past drag me down, me down

She took a moment to process his words and thoughts. She felt like she was intruding on his deepest most personal thoughts, in the way she felt after finding out about "Unsaid Emily".

She sat there, for she didn't know how long rereading his lyrics.

She didn't know how to let go of what he had said, but she wished she could have known what to have said before it got to that point. She couldn't just forgive and forget, even after finding this song, but she also knew she couldn't hate him.

All she could see was the pained expression on his face from their last night together and the seething face she had last seen grace his expressions.

She contemplated how to handle it for hours, before she realized what she had to do, she had to get it out. So she wrote her own song. She sat there wrote her thoughts into song.

Once she finished, she folded the paper up, stuck it in her pocket and took a deep breath. She walked up to her room opened her dream box once more and set the song in there, she decided her room was too easily accessibly by certain ghosts. So she hid it, where it would remain untouched for five years.

She left her room and went back to the studio and started anew, this time she wouldn't sing with Luke or because of Luke. No. Now she would sing in spite of Luke. It didn't matter what he thought and said, she would do what she knew deep down she was born to do: make music.

Over the years Julie refused to look at him fearing what she would see when she looked into his eyes. While Luke refused to look out of guilt.

\-----

Back in the present, Luke just sat there trying to figure out the words he could say. He knew words could never fix what he had done.

"I found your song." Julie admitted, wanting some sort of sound to fill the tense air.

Luke looked up at her, he didn't know how to answer her. He had secretly hoped deep down that she had heard it, but he never knew.

"I am always better at speaking when it comes through music." Luke finally spoke.

"So am I." She admitted as she internally debated with herself. She finally gave in and got up walking to that loose board in the wall.

Luke looked at her curiously not sure what was about to happen, when he saw her take the board off of the wall, but his eyes widened when he saw what the board hid: Her dream box.

She walked back to her piano and set the box down on top of it. She took a deep breath before opening the box that held so much. She pulled the paper off of the top, and as she did he saw a quick glimpse of the engagement ring he gave her so many years ago. It felt like a lifetime ago, but it was a lifetime he would give anything to go back to and fix.

She closed the box and walked over to him, and hesitantly handed him the folded paper. She was closure to him than she had been in the last five years.

He gently took it from her hand, his eyes never leaving her face scanning it slowly, trying to take in every detail and decipher every micro-expression he knew of hers..

She slowly retreated back to her piano. Her safety zone.

"Are you sure you want me to read this?" He asked, he didn't want to step over a line, even if she was offering, he didn't want her to regret her decision.

Julie took a deep breath before she began to play the notes on the piano as he followed the lyrics.

His eyes watered as he read her lyrics, he could hear her voice singing it in his head, despite knowing her lips weren't moving as she played the notes on her piano.

I fell by the wayside like everyone else  
I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, but I was just kidding myself  
Our every moment, I start to replace  
'Cause now that they're gone, all I hear are the words that I needed to say   
When you hurt under the surface  
Like troubled water running cold

Luke realized, she realized his pain. She saw it, but he ran and he didn't let her help him. Things could have been so different, if he just didn't bottle it all up. Had he just told her like he spilled it out in his song, maybe all of this could have been avoided.

Well, time can heal, but this won't

His words cut her deep. He knew that, and he knew those scars would never truly heal; he hurt her in every way he possibly could. He betrayed her trust when all she had been trying to do was help him.

So, before you go  
Was there something I could've said to make your heart beat better?  
If only I'd have known you had a storm to weather  
So, before you go  
Was there something I could've said to make it all stop hurting?  
It kills me how your mind can make you feel so worthless  
So, before you go  
Was never the right time, whenever you called

He thought back to every time they were in the same room, only separated by air and a crowd of people. No matter how many times he thought about going over to her, he stopped himself out of guilt. 

Julie continued playing the notes on her piano, the last five years playing through her head in a series of scenes. Talking to Luke the night he left. Searching for Luke. Playing without Luke. The relief that she felt when he came back. The pain when he spoke that day. Sitting alone in her mom's studio turned theirs. Looking over at the piano they wrote songs at all the time. His guitar sitting on it's stand collecting dust as no one could gain the courage to move it. Crying in her bed for hours. Crying in the shower. Mourning the loss of the person who had become closest to her. Finding his song. Starting over solo. Playing concerts with out him... or the rest of the guys. Seeing him from across the room, feeling his pull calling out to her. It was never the right time. 

The years continued to flash through her mind.

Went little by little by little until there was nothing at all  
Our every moment, I start to replay 

Julie continued playing the notes on her piano, the last five years playing through her head in a series of scenes. Talking to Luke the night he left. Searching for Luke. Playing without Luke. The relief that she felt when he came back. The pain when he spoke that day. Sitting alone in her mom's studio turned theirs. Looking over at the piano they wrote songs at all the time. His guitar sitting on it's stand collecting dust as no one could gain the courage to move it. Crying in her bed for hours. Crying in the shower. Mourning the loss of the person who had become closest to her. Finding his song. Starting over solo. Playing concerts with out him... or the rest of the guys. Seeing him from across the room, feeling his pull calling out to her. It was never the right time.

The years continued to flash through her mind.

She began to replay their earlier memories, meeting him for the first time, him cheering her on as she tried to earn her spot back in the music program, him missing the gig at her school, Perfect Harmony, him randomly popping up at her locker, late nights writing songs, Unsaid Emily, fearing losing him and the guys to Caleb, playing the Orpheum for the first time, getting their first call from a manager, getting their first record deal, going on their first tour, writing songs even more, traveling the world together with the band, him proposing, but quickly these thoughts were consumed once more by the night he left, and the day he returned only to say every harsh word he could think of. The look on his face both days forever seared into her mind.

But all I can think about is seeing that look on your face When you hurt under the surface  
Like troubled water running cold  
Well, some can heal, but this won't So, before you go  
Was there something I could've said to make your heart beat better?

She thought back to that night and wondered if there was anything she could have said that would have stopped this whole mess. A what if she had lived with for five years.

Luke sat there wondering if there was anything she could have said that night that would have stopped him from making the biggest mistake of his life.

If only I'd have known you had a storm to weather  
So, before you go  
Was there something I could've said to make it all stop hurting?  
It kills me how your mind can make you feel so worthless  
So, before you go Would we be better off by now  
If I'd have let my walls come down?  
Maybe, I guess we'll never know  
You know, you know Before you go  
Was there something I could've said to make your heart beat better?  
If only I'd have known you had a storm to weather  
So, before you go  
Was there something I could've said to make it all stop hurting?  
It kills me how your mind can make you feel so worthless  
So, before you go

They both sat in silence as the last note of the song played. Luke processing the lyrics, and Julie processing what she had just shared.

Meanwhile Alex and Reggie stayed where they flashed to, Alex though was working on his runway walk as he paced back and forth.

"She'll be fine dude. You don't need to practice your runway walk."

"I know, but I still worry." Alex shook his head, but froze as both of their heads shot up in the direction of the studio at the sound a piano playing.

"What do you think that means?" Reggie asked.

"I have no clue, but I don't trust it. I mean why would they start playing, and that isn't one of our old songs." Alex noted as he started to listen closer, " and they aren't making up a new song either, there aren't any pauses where they would be stopping to write it down or figure out what fit there better."

"Maybe they are communicating in the way they both know best, music. I mean it would make sense if they had each already written a song about how they felt. It's what Luke did to try and deal with all of the stuff with his mom." Reggie considered as Alex contemplated the idea for a moment before realizing how much sense it made.

"That's a really good point."

They continued to stand there waiting to hear anything that would signify they should flash in there. While they hoped nothing would happen, they still wanted to be prepared. 

Eventually the piano notes stopped, and the silence once more surrounded them.

Back in the studio, Julie just looked down at the piano as the final notes sound faded from the room. She wasn't sure what to expect when she looked up, so she didn't.

Luke meanwhile continued to stare down at the lyrics, glancing up at Julie every now and then processing what he had read. He wasn't sure what this meant for them.

"Where does this leave us?" He finally spoke up.

"I don't know."

"Where do you want this to leave us?"

"Where do you?" She challenged softly, not wanting to admit where she wanted this to leave them.

Luke paused for a moment not expecting that answer, he then contemplated if his idea would be acceptable. He had just improved his standings so much he didn't want to risk it all, but some times life is about the risks and where would he be if he didn't take a few risks?

He decided, he was willing to risk it. He stood up slowly, doing everything he could to make sure he didn't make any move that made her feel threatened. He walked carefully towards her, taking a more in-direct path so he wouldn't have to pass her directly hoping that would make her feel more comfortable. He could see the look of uncertainty on her face as he walked to the side of the piano.

Julie's eyes widened slightly in anticipation unsure of what Luke was going to do.

For the first time since he stood up, Luke took his eyes off of Julie and turned them to her dream box. He opened it up and grabbed the small object that was on top, her engagement ring.

Julie's heart quickened fearing he was about to propose once more; she wasn't ready to move that quickly, but she kept her mouth shut waiting to see what was about to play out.

"I want this to leave us at a point in which I can work to getting this ring back on your finger. I want this to leave us in a place where I can start to earn your trust and you love back." Luke says shakily, fearing her response. "I want this to leave us where we can be in the same room and talk without fearing what's going to happen, to be able to sing together again, to write again. I want this to leave us at a point of rebuilding what we once had, but stronger this time. I want to be able to work to get this ring back on your finger."

Julie's breath caught in her throat as she processed what was being said. He wasn't just asking to be civil, but he also wasn't asking to get right back to where they left off. He was asking for them to work to fix what had been broken.

The silence felt like it had lasted hours to Luke, but in reality it was only a few seconds before Julie spoke once more.

"Then this leaves us in that place."

Luke's eyes widened as a smile engulfed his face.

Suddenly there were two more people in the room with them as Alex and Reggie popped in.

"We're sorry, but it got really quiet, and we got worried so we came up to the door and listened in for a second so-" Reggie rambled before Alex cut him off.

"Group hug!" Alex declared as they formed into one big group hug. The world began to return to the way it should be.

After a moment in the comforting hug, Reggie felt more assured then ever, his trust having been significantly repaired in just a few hours after realizing even when their bonds were tested, they would always find their way back to each other.

"You know what this calls for?" Reggie asked.

Each member gave him a slightly confused look before he started

Reggie smirked as he grabbed Luke's guitar and handed it to him,

"Come on Luke," Reggie said with a big smile on his face as Luke realized what he was referring to and began strumming the notes,

"A 1, 2, 3, 4," Luke began

"Can you? Can you hear me?" Reggie continued

"Loud and clear." Alex answered.

"We gotta, gotta get ready."

"Cause it's been years!" Alex and Luke responded back already feeling like they were getting closer to how the band used to be.

"Wooaah ahh woah," Reggie sang before looking at Julie expectantly.

Her eyes widened as she the next line clicked, he was giving her the choice.

"This band is back." Julie said as Luke and the rest's smile grew.

And just like that Julie and the Phantoms was reformed.

Ray heard the singing from the back porch and smiled, the band was back.

Soon enough, Julie and the Phantoms began to rebuild their broken bonds and then announced a reunion tour which was followed by many more tours and many more original albums written by Julie and Luke. The Jukebox was together once again and spouting off songs faster than the band could record them. The world still never knew what caused the break-up between Julie and the Phantoms, but they didn't question it once they group got back together and stayed together.

Though it took a few years, Luke did finally reach his goal of working to get the ring back on Julie's finger, and this time it never came off.

.

.

.

So, how many of you cried? What are you thoughts on the ending and how everything played out? Really what are your overall thoughts.

Also I am taking requests, this includes if you want a continuation or extra scene from previous one shots, such as if you want me to write out what happened after the band began to reform let me know. I will try and start working on requests next now that I really feel like I have a grasp on these characters.

Poll: 2 options for the next one shot (If it doesn't win it will most likely be the next one so which do you want first)

Julie has an anxiety attack and Luke isn't sure what to do, Alex comes to the rescue and helps Luke understand what to do next time as well as Luke talks to Julie about it

or 

The boys meeting Ray

Once again hope you enjoyed and please leave more requests.


	8. Breathe With Me

Warning you now guys, there will be tears. I didn't cry while writing the last two chapters where you all seemed to have bawled your eyes out. I started crying within the first few minutes of writing, and I don't cry during movies or books hardly ever. (Though Unsaid Emily did get me.)

It was a simple movie night with the guys, Julie was trying to catch them up on the times.

She didn't think her choice through that night though, it seemed simple enough, they were working their way through the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), and they had reached Guardians of the Galaxy.

A movie known for it's humor, she didn't think about the fact she hadn't watched it in over a year.

They were sprawled out across the living room, Alex in the arm chair, Reggie on his pillow fort he made on the floor, and Luke on the couch with Julie leaned up against him.

The scene opened to young peter sitting in the hospital with his headphones on, clutching to the mix-tape his mother had made him filled with her favorite songs.

Julie's eyes began to glaze over as memories began to consume her.

She began to relive her memories from just over a year ago, some of the darkest days of her life. She sat outside her mothers hospital room, holding her phone tight to her chest with her ear buds in her ears. Volume at maximum volume, as she tried to drown out the world around her. The playlist filled with all of her mom's favorite songs. On the other side of the wall she leaned against was a hospital bed. The bed where her mom laid. Her dad was in there too, holding her mothers hand. Tia stood at the side of the bed, looking over her sister. Carlos was asleep by the window.

Julie couldn't bring herself to go into the room. She couldn't bare to see her mother, laying in a bed, pale, sullen, and small. She was so used to her mom's vibrant spirit, bursting out into song and singing at the top of her lungs. Sitting at the piano, writing music with her. Music. 

She was used to hearing the sound of piano notes surrounding her mom, not the beeps of a heart monitor that was beginning to slow as her mom's song came to an end.

The notes of her mom's heart were beginning to die down, and Julie knew what happened when the song began to slow and fade.

Her dad walked out into the hall and gently took her earbuds from her ears before taking her hand and pulling her up from the ground. He nodded his head to the side before he began to gently pull her into the room. She hesitated at first, but followed. She walked up to the side of her mother's bed.

"Julie," Rose spoke weakly, but she had a smile on her face.

"Mom,"

"Hey, sing with me,"

Julie nodded and followed in tune with her mother as they began to hum and mumble the lyrics to one of her mom's favorite songs.

"Hope when you take that jump

You don't fear the fall  
Hope when the water rises  
You built a wall  
Hope when the crowd screams out  
They're screaming your name  
Hope if everybody runs  
You choose to stayHope that you fall in love  
And it hurts so bad (Yeah)  
The only way you can know  
You gave it all you had  
And I hope that you don't suffer  
But take the pain  
Hope when the moment comes,  
You'll say I, I did it all..."

They sang together softly, as her dad watched his two girls sing together for the last time, but with each line, Rose's tone began to fade, until her final words came out. She held the final note for as long as she could before her long held out note turned into the tone of a flat-lining heart monitor. With her final words sang, Julie began to feel hands on her shoulders, and sounds coming from around her, but she couldn't make them out, but her vision began to blur between two scenes.

\----

Luke felt Julie shift next to him, and thought nothing of it until he could feel her breathing becoming erratic,

"Julie?" He turned to look at her only to see a panicked look on her face. "Hey Julie?"

The panic in his voice got the attention of Alex and Reggie, Reggie quickly paused the movie as Alex rushed over to them.

Luke looked panicked as he moved to turn towards Julie, no longer having her lay up against his side. He didn't know what to do, he didn't know what was wrong, and Julie was upset, and he couldn't do anything to help as tears streamed from her glazed over eyes.

Suddenly Alex took control of the situation, placing a hand on each of her shoulders, standing above her blocking out her surrounding.

"Julie, breathe with me okay? Just follow my breathing." Alex calmly commanded as he began to exaggerate the sounds of his breathing, when she started to follow suit he spoke again, "You are in your house in the living room. You were watching a movie. You are safe. Everything is fine. It's Alex, your ok." 

Julie's eyes began to follow Alex's as he pulled her from her own mind. Her breathing quickened once more before Alex once again began to exaggerate the sounds of his breathing.

She matched once more, but the panicked daze did not leave her voice though she was no aware of her surroundings. At least the ones she could clearly see, that being that she was in the living room and that Alex was arm's length away from her. She was sitting on the couch. Something was to her right. The tv was on behind Alex.

Slowly she began to take in her surroundings as she slowed her breathing and her eyes began to slow from their sporadic jolts around the room. She began to feel the tingling in her arm fade away as she took in more oxygen.

"You ok now Julie?" Alex asked softly, she nodded extremely slowly. Alex nodded back only slightly faster, "Just keep breathing." This time he didn't exaggerate the sounds and merely breathed normally as Julie watched him inhale and exhale. She continued to slow her breathing to a normal pace.

Once she was breathing at a constant normal rate and her eyes were no longer flitting around the room Alex let his arms fall from her shoulders to her arms feeling her muscle tension loosen. He pulled her in for a hug. She wrapped her arms around him and gripped tightly not letting go for a few minutes. She mumbled into his ear, 

"Thank you Alex." It was barely there as she still was too out of it to speak up any louder but Alex hear it and smiled.

"You're welcome."

Luke sat to the side watching Alex take perfect control of the situation. Alex perfectly calmed his girlfriend down, helped her breath properly and comforted her before being pulled into a tight hug. He began to feel both jealous and guilty. He wasn't jealous of Alex, he knew Julie was like a sister to him.

No, he was jealous of the fact Alex knew what to do and could calm Julie down. He was jealous that someone else knew what to do, and he felt guilty that he didn't know what to do.

Reggie stood to the side, until Julie's eyes opened while she continued to hug Alex tight, she saw him, and gave him a look that was filled with vulnerability. Reggie cautiously walked over to her before joining in on the hug.

Eventually Julie released Alex, Reggie pulled away as Alex did as well. Alex stopped for a moment and gave a questioning look to Julie silently asking if she was ok now. She gave an extremely small nod, before he pulled away fully.

Once she did she looked to the side and saw the concerned yet panicked look upon Luke's face. Rather than speaking she just laid back against Luke's side and used the remote to continue the movie since her attack was long enough for the part to be over.

Luke wrapped his arm around her once more and held her slightly tighter. She took his free hand and laced her fingers through his as they continued the movie. The boy's jamming out to music from their childhood, a weird thought for Julie. Though she wasn't entirely paying attention to the movie having seen it enough times to let herself space out, the attack having zapped her energy, but she was enjoying watcher her boy's enjoy the movie far too much to fall asleep.

Once the movie was over, Julie pulled Luke off to the side away from the others having seen his concerned and guilty glances during the movie.

"Luke, I'm ok now." She told him holding his hands in-front of her looking him in the eyes.

"But Julie, I had no clue what was going on or what to do? What would have happened if Alex wasn't there?"

"I would have just gone through the whole attack and then come out of it. All Alex could do was help me recover from it quicker. You can't prevent them, if you try then all you do is walk on eggshells for the rest of your life not really living your life."

"But Julie, I had zero clue what to do."

"And that's my fault, and before you protest hear me out, I didn't tell you about my attacks because I haven't had one since you guys came into my life. I used to have them all the time, I just learned how to deal with them. The only reason Alex knew how to deal with mine so well is because he has had them. It's a perspective I hope you never have to know. He only knew what to do without knowing anything about the trigger or the personal differences because he knows what it's like from his side of it. He knows what he feels like he needs to be told and shown and he used that knowledge to help me."

"Julie, I want to know what to do if this ever happens again." Luke begged after a moment of silence.

"Ok, I can understand that, but for that information we are moving elsewhere." Julie told him taking his hand and guiding him to her room.

Julie yawned as her eyes began to droop.

"Awww, Jules are you tired?"

"Yea, they take a lot out of you, but to answer your question on what to do. I'm telling you this because I know it will make you feel better if it ever happens again. Not to walk on eggshells constantly and fear any triggers. I haven't had one in months, so they really aren't that common for me ok?" Luke nodded before she continued.

"Everyone's experience is different, but for me don't smother me. Don't incase me in a hug or wrap your arms around me. That is a sure way to make me panic more, but some people that is what they prefer. I on the other hand feel better when you do like Alex did, he stood above me and placed a hand on each of my shoulders, with his arms straight keeping as much distance from me as he could while still holding me to help ground me. By standing above me he blocked out everything around me with his body and arms. That prevented me from going into an overload because everything multiplies in intensity, so I am not trying to take in everything around me and process because I can only focus on one thing. Therefore as he spoke and exaggerated his breathing I could focus on it. Do just like that. Just copy what Alex did. Now for the more specific to just me. Do not mention my mom. Focus on reminding me to breathe properly, telling me where I am, who you are, then just start telling me random facts. Like, the first song we sang together was Bright, or we write songs together, or you are wearing a blue shirt. Things like that help me begin to take control again. Once I've calmed down and am breathing mostly normal then you can pull me into a hug. If you do it before that I panic because I feel like everything is closing in and I am trapped. Just hold onto me, and eventually I am fine. Just like you saw."

"That scared me so much earlier Jules. I didn't know what to do, and I just froze."

"It's ok Luke, you didn't know. Honestly had Alex not been there not much would have been different. I would push through the attack on my own and then would have turned to you once I realized you were there and pulled you into a tight hug until I felt safe again. If you weren't there than I just would have sat there until I felt calm and safe again. It's something I can get through on my own, but I do appreciate when I have help. I'm sorry I scared you. I didn't feel like I needed to tell you about them because I thought I had fully gotten over them since I hadn't had one in months."

"I promise, I will be there for you if you have another one."

"I know. I trust you, and I love you." Julie said laying her head onto his chest while they sat on her bed.

"Go to sleep, I've got you Jules." Luke looked down and saw she had already fallen asleep. He wrapped his arm around her and let her sleep against him as he protected her from her demons. He held her close, and eventually slid them downward into a laying position to make her more comfortable. He absent mindedly drew patters on her arm with his finger tips as he began to fall asleep next to her.

Ale flashed in the next morning planning to check on Julie knowing she would have been exhausted last night, but when he peeked his head through the door he was met with an adorable sight.

Julie was laying on Luke's chest, one arm draped across him holding onto his shoulder, while he had an arm wrapped around her holding her close with his head leaned down onto hers.

Alex smiled before grabbing Julie's phone from beside her bed and opening it to camera and taking a few pictures for them to have later before he flashed out knowing Julie was ok so long as she had Luke with her.

\----

Thoughts? How much did yall cry? (Yes I use yall, yes I am from the south)

Also I'm sorry if this doesn't line up with your experience. I have social anxiety and tried to use my own experiences to base it off of while changing it some since Julie's wasn't rooted from a social situation, but any social situations didn't seem to fit Julie's character. So I just slightly altered my own experiences. 

Hope you guys enjoyed!! Please leave requests!! (I will try and make the next few happier!)


	9. Sleeves

Luke hated sleeves with a passion because sleeves hated him with a passion. It was a mutual hating.

He had ADHD, and sleeves drove him insane. He would feel them rubbing up against his arm and he felt like he could feel every stitch and spec on the fabric. His brain would go into sensory overload trying to process it, and it wasn't pretty. So Luke decided to wear sleeves as little as possible until he realized if the sleeves were big enough they didn't bother him and still kept him warm. He also learned certain materials didn't drive him crazy. Pants and hats didn't bother him, it was just his arms.

So, one night when the band was leaving from a gig and Julie was freezing, Luke thought nothing of passing his jacket off to her. Which was fine, because Julie relished in the warmth the jacked provided and the heat his own body had left in it for her, but most of all she loved that is smelled like Luke. She didn't have any intentions of giving the jacket back to her boyfriend until his smell faded from the fabric. 

The only issue was it was huge on Luke, which meant it was ginormous on Julie. So she could wear it around the house and the studio, but no where else and she couldn't do hardly anything while in it because she kept having the pull up the sleeves or adjust it on her shoulders as it began to fall.

"Jules, I don't think you can play piano in that." Luke said flashing in.

"I know, but now I have you so I don't need it." She said before shrugging it off and placing it on his couch finally giving into the jacket and returning it to him.

"Well, the real thing is always better then the remnants." He told her smoothly before giving her a quick kiss and grabbing his journal as they began to write a new song.

They worked on the song for a few hours, thought they goofed off a lot in that time too. 

Julie stood up with Luke as they got up hearing Ray call them to dinner. Finally after they became corporeal they were able to eat and be seen whenever they wanted leading to Ray being told about the guys. He just took them right in.

"You know that jacket really isn't practical for you." Luke told Julie looking at it laying on his couch. It was huge on him and just swallowed Julie right up; though he didn't mind seeing her in his clothes.

"I know, but it smells like you and I like being surrounded in your scent even if you aren't with me."

"How about this instead. I have a sweatshirt, and it's made of one of the few materials I can wear without going crazy with it being on for a while. It's one of my smaller ones, so it will just fit like a comfy sweatshirt on you. I will wash it and then wear it before passing it off to you, and when my smell fades just bring it back to me and we will repeat the process." He explained his idea to her, she went to nod before he continued, "but I get something in return."

"What?" She asked curious.

"One of your pillows. Same process. You use it pass it onto me, when your scent fades I bring it back and repeat. That way I can have your scent with me when I sleep."

Julie found the idea adorable, but she realized there was another counter offer she could supply.

"One alteration, when I give you one of my pillows, you give me yours. We just trade pillows therefore taking out the whole make it smell like you again part, but the sweatshirt is still in this deal."

"Deal."

The next day Luke wore the sweatshirt before giving it to Julie that night. As he handed her the sweatshirt he also gave her his pillow while she gave him hers. Reggie and Alex just gave them a strange look as they traded off and then separated each to go to sleep.

They continued this little trade off for a while as Reggie, Alex, and Ray got a good laugh watching every few days as they traded pillows or Julie would throw the sweatshirt at Luke. The next day Luke would be wearing the freshly washed sweatshirt before passing it onto her the next.

Ray was honestly happy they had found this rather than just sleeping in the same bed together, he trusted them, but really wasn't ready for them to be at that stage. He liked to think of his little girl as being his little girl. He knew eventually they would get there and he would have to deal with it, but he did have to admit their little trade off was adorable. He also had to admit though the times they had fallen asleep against each other song writing or watching a movie with everyone, they were adorable together.

Despite eventually just moving in together their little trade off never ended. Every few nights they would trade pillows, even if they always wound up laying against each other during the night whether it be spooning or just Julie laying against his chest. The sweatshirt even continued on, though the sweatshirt itself did change a few times their trade off never ended.

\----

Short chapter but I hope yall enjoyed the double update! At this rate it may become a triple, but probably not. I'm thinking the next chapter will be about filling in the gaps between the band making up and Luke working to get Julie's engagement ring back on her finger. I know I had a few people really want to me to do that and I really want to do it, but it will take me a bit longer because the chapter itself will be longer, but I hope you guys liked this short and sweet one!! Please leave requests and tell me your thoughts!!


	10. The Jukebox

Luke could not get over Julie's dream box. He just wanted to look in it. He could only imagine the amount of amazing lyrics Julie had hidden away in there. I mean Flying Solo was just... 

I mean what other hidden gems did she have hidden in the off limits box, and the fact that is was off limits made him want to look in it even more. She really never should have told him what was in the box, but if she hadn't told him he wouldn't have caved in last time meaning he wouldn't have found Flying Solo meaning she and Flynn never would have made up meaning she never would have joined the band.

Look how much good came from opening the box the first time. Could it really be so bad to open it again?

Luke shook his head, no, Julie declared it off limits. He wouldn't break her trust. Even if he really really really wanted in that box.

Eventually he realized he would never let himself go into the box so he flashed out and began working on some guitar riff with Reggie. Just messing around. While they waited on Julie to get back from school, luckily it was the last day so they were about to have an entire summer filled with music.

Julie walked into the studio and Luke flashed right in-front of her startling her.

"Luke!" She fussed as she started to fall backwards but Luke caught her and stabilized her.

"Julie! I need something out of the box it's killing me." He blurted out.

"What?" She looked at him confused.

"Julie, please just let him see something from your dream box, he has been stress playing guitar riffs and bouncing his leg and speaking a million miles an hour. I can handle a million mile and hour talk but not two million and everything else at once. He is literally going insane and is making me insane. Alex fled to walk around the city because he was starting to practice his runway walk because Luke freaking out was freaking him out." Reggie shook Julie by the shoulders as he begged.

"Guys." Julie whined, "No, you know my dream box is off limits."

"Which is why I've shown this much restraint in opening it."

"How about we just write a song now?" Julie offered.

"Using something from your dream box?" Luke tried.

Julie just gave him a look that said everything. Luke gave in and grabbed his guitar as they made their way over to his couch, which was quickly becoming their couch.

They began to run through lyrics and chords for hours until they had a song. Not a polished and ready to play song, but one that was most of the way there. They would need to hear the band play it first then they would tweak it.

But as they played and wrote Julie came up with an idea.

She got Alex and Reggie in on the idea, and they were excited about it.

So the next day Alex's job was to distract Luke for a while so she and Reggie could carry out her idea. They went and found a new box, but this one would be a little bit different.

After at least and hour shopping around and had come up empty, nothing just stood out to them, and this box couldn't be just a simple box. 

Considering giving up the search for a bit Julie suddenly remembered something.

"Reggie, can you flash us up to the loft in the studio?"

Reggie nodded and flashed her with him, something they had discovered was possible after they had gained the ability to become corporeal.

After flashing up there Julie went to a corner and pulled out an old wooden box that looked very similar to her own, but it was plain and just wood.

She showed it to Reggie who smiled when she nodded her head to another pile.

They quickly began to grab old torn up posters, record sleeves, and CD Jackets.

Julie's mom had a habit of picking up random records, posters, and CDs at garage sales and just piling them in up here using them for decoration randomly. 

Julie grabbed two glue guns and Reggie and Julie went to work on their art's and crafts project at the kitchen table.

Ray came home to find them surrounded in cut up pieces of paper and glue.

"What you and Reggie up to sweetie?" He asked confused by their surroundings.

Julie explained her idea, and quickly Ray was on board. He rushed off to his office and came back with a few printed pictures and handed them to her to add to the project before he sat down with them and began helping them. Which made Reggie really happy.

Finally hours later they had nearly completed their top secret project, as they placed the final touch on it. A cut out of one of the pictures Ray had brought them, it was a picture of Julie and Luke looking over lyrics with Luke playing the notes on his guitar while Alex and Reggie leaned over their shoulders. Each of them looking extremely focused on the task at hand not noticing Ray having walked in with his camera.

The placed the picture on the top center before Reggie and Julie went to the studio to present the surprise. They found Alex and Luke watching Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back.

"Hey Luke, Alex," Julie greeted walking in with Reggie.

"Hey Julie, Reggie, what have you guys been up to all day?"

"Well, funny you should mention that, I know you've really been wanting to get into my dream box-"

"I get to look inside-"

"No." Julie deadpanned, Luke looked a little disapointed but continued listening, "but, I did figure out something better with the help of Reggie and Alex. So, since you really want to get in it for the lyrics, we came up with a new plan." Julie smiled before pulling the box out from behind her back and handing it to him.

Luke looked confused at first, but his eyes widened as it got closer.

They had made another box, and this was covered in clippings of old records and CD Jackets. A Sunset Curve one was even on there, but what caught his eye the most was the picture on top.

"I realized that we needed a separate dream box. This is for all of our lyrics and random ideas. That way when either of us come up with lyrics we can put them in here, where we are both free to access them. Your journal is still private and my dream box is still private, but this is a shared space. So instead of me putting lyrics only in my off limits dream box, I can put them in here and you can know you can look at them and you can put yours in here if you are good with sharing them."

"Jules! This is amazing!! Group hug guys! I really appreciate it! I can see you hand in the decorating here Reggie." 

They all piled into a group hug.

Later Luke and Julie were left alone,

"Another thing with the dream box, we don't just have to put lyrics or song notes in there. You can also put dreams, or just things we want each other to know in there. It's a safe shared space." Julie told him. Opening the box to show a series of papers already in there since Julie had transferred some from her personal box to the shared one as that was where those truly belonged.

"Julie, this really means a lot to me. I love the decoration on it too. You know we are going to fill that up so fast though right?"

"Yea, that's why there is a giant box in the loft for when we clear it out, but still get to keep everything in it."

"Always thinking ahead."

They sat on the couch writing more songs and random series of notes, adding some to the box when it didn't fit what they were doing, but were still really good.

A few days later Reggie walked in with a small box covered in western decor and set it down next to Luke and Julie's box, or the JukeBox as it had been being referred to as.

"Since you guys have the Jukebox, you know where all of you guys' music comes from, I realized I wanted one too, but for my country songs. So Ray helped me make this one. Feel free to look in it anytime you want." Reggie said proudly, still so excited that Ray had helped him make it instead of just telling him to go away like his dad would have or just be too scared to go into the room because his parents were arguing again, " I already put "Home is Where my Horse is" in there. It really is a gift to music. I think is should join the Jukebox, but I can understand it having to stay in this wonderfully decorated box. Just try and circle back to it." 

\---

Ok guys, I hope you enjoyed, I know I've had the last few be a little short, but I'm running low on ideas. There will be a Halloween special though, but it may be a day late... not sure yet. So please leave suggestions!!! I except everything from the most bare basic prompt to the most detailed extravagant idea. Juke is my specialty, but I will happily do others, (except juliexnick...) just leave me ideas I don't really know what to do for some of them!

Hope you guys enjoyed!!


	11. Misinterpertations

Luke was bored. Julie was at Flynn's house doing something, he didn't know what. Alex was hanging out with Willie, and Reggie was hanging out with his best buddie Ray.

He was at a crossroads with Julie, on one hand, he really did have feelings for her as much as he tried to deny them, but on the other hand he had no clue where they stood on that front and he did not want to risk what they had now.

He was worried about the whole ghost thing, but since the night of the Orpheum they were able to become corporeal and be seen whenever they wanted as well as do everything else a living person could do. The only difference at this point from being normal living people was their added ghost powers.

He tried playing his guitar, writing songs, going through and editing songs, listening to current music, literally everything he could think of to distract himself from his own mind. Realizing his endeavor was pointless, he decided to go somewhere where he knew he would be forced to think things through more thoroughly: Julie's room.

Where else could he surround himself of things that were hers, forcing his brain to focus on her and try to decipher his dilemma. 

So he just sat down on the floor in front of her bed and looked around.

He really liked her. Like really really liked her. He loved writing with her. He loved singing with her. He loved hanging out with her. 

He loved everything about her, even the fact she was horrible at peeling oranges, even those little Cuties mandarin things that were supposed to be for little kids to peel. Seriously he had watched her use a knife to peel them the other day and it still took her like five minutes, but he still loved her for it.

Honestly he could hang out with her all day and never get tired of being around her, she just made him happy. There were some moments where he just knew she felt the same way, like when they were first able to touch and she cupped his face. The look in her eyes, he was so certain. When she had gotten back from his parents house, going to take each others hands... He just knew they felt the same, but then there were other moments that made him question everything.

Like when they were singing Edge of Great, she avoided him like crazy. Only interacting with Reggie and Alex until he went to her. Then there was Nick, who obviously had a crush on Julie, I mean why wouldn't he she is awesome, but he was at the performance, maybe that's why she avoided me...

He was pulled from his thoughts when he saw something, a piece of paper, and it was peaking out of Julie's dream box. Looking like it had been hastily put there. 

Technically he wouldn't be going into her box because it was already partially out. He would never have to open her box to get the paper out, rather he would just be closing it all the way stopping the paper from permitting it to fully close...

He gave in and rushed over pulling out the paper.

It was a song, and a good one at that, the lyrics seemed as though she had rushed to get them out. Messier than her normal handwriting. The lyrics were beautiful, and it was a duet.

He read the lyrics, and they reminded him of himself. 

He was getting excited, if Julie had written this and is was about him, he really hoped it was and he wasn't just that desperate, then she felt the same.

He had a huge smile on his face until he got to the end of the song and saw a small note,

"Dance Class."

Those two words destroyed his world.

Nick was in her dance class, and he was her partner...

But that didn't make any sense, the lyrics did not line up with Nick. Not to sound conceited, but two worlds collide? That had to be him as a ghost and her living. It did not make sense for it to be Nick, there wasn't any sort of crazy differences in their worlds to make it a collision. "More than chemistry"? That was what Alex and Reggie kept using to describe them.

or there was, "Love me as I am", Nick didn't even pay attention to her until she had risen from the ashes like a phoenix. If anything he only loves her for what she has become, he never seemed to notice her before. 

Luke sat there for an hour analyzing every lyric for any sort of clue, when he realized their band practice was about to start, and he had an idea.

\---

Luke flashed into the studio as Julie walked in from Flynn's house.

"Hey guys." She greeted, each replied back.

"So, where we starting boss?" Luke asked picking up his guitar.

"I was thinking we go over "Keep on Going" and then run through our set list."

"Sounds good"

Each of them got ready and ran through the songs stopping every now and then to make notes of what needed to be fixed, finally they got everything into place and moved onto their set list.

"Julie you were killing it on that last one, not that you don't always kill it, but you were really killing it." Reggie complimented after one of the songs.

"Yea, voice like an angel." Luke casually threw in, Julie gave him a strange look for a second but shook her head thanking Reggie.

They kept going when Alex absolutely rocked his drum solo.

"Dude, if you keep playing like that we will shine so much brighter." Luke once again casually threw in a line waiting on Julie to pick up on it. She once again shook her head after giving him a look, but kept going.

Eventually they reached the end of the set list.

"I think we had perfect harmony today." Luke commented as they discussed different things from their practice, once again Julie's head shot in his direction, but this time she didn't shake her head ignoring it. She kept an intense stare on him confusing Alex and Reggie.

"Well, dinner should be done soon and we can go hang out and watch a movie or something." Julie tells them, her eyes never leaving Luke.

"Sounds good, what are the plans for tomorrow?" Reggie asks.

"Well I am meeting up with Willie again, he wants to show me this cool skate park he likes to go to, and then he wants to go to this really cool café that has this amazing grilled cheese, so I won't be here for lunch, but I will be back in time for rehearsal." Alex told them.

"Well, when you go you never really leave. We always have your drumsticks randomly placed about to remind us." Luke comments, once again getting a look from Julie, but this one is much harsher than any of the others he had received thus far, when suddenly she stood up.

"Luke. Outside. Now." She commanded stepping out of the studio.

"Dude what did you do?" Reggie asked shocked.

"Technically, nothing... ignoring technicalities... well, let's just say I made a few comments to make her realize what I found. That she sort of had in her dream box but not entirely..."

Alex just shook his head at him.

"You know what the only thing scarier than two girls crying is?" Alex rhetorically asked.

"One angry Julie." Luke answered with his head down.

"Yep." Reggie said popping the 'p' sound at the end.

Luke took a deep breath before walking out of the studio to where Julie stood waiting for him.

"You went through my box." She accused.

"Technically, I didn't"

"I know where that song was, don't lie to me Luke."

"Like I said technically I didn't. The corner of it was outside of the box therefore making it be out of the box. I merely pulled it the rest of the way out allowing the box to close. So I didn't even open your box."

Julie just glared at his response.

"You read something private from my private dream box."

"Look, I'm sorry, but I'm also not sorry. That song is killing me, who is it about?"

"No one, that's just something I tried."

"Julie, you can't use my own words against me." He told her referring to her using the exact words he did when she found Unsaid Emily. "Plus you put it in your dream box, meaning there is more to it and it is about a person. You said it was private. So it is about someone, so who?"

"No one-"

"See now you are lying to me. Who is it about? I need to know okay?" Luke told her, pausing for a moment choosing his next words carefully. "I need to know, because I need to know if you feel how I feel."

"Luke..." Julie trailed off.

"It's about Nick isn't it." He said defeated. "You put dance class at the end." Luke shook his head wishing he had never said anything.

"It's about you Luke." She admitted as Luke began to walk away with his head down, seemingly about to flash away. When his head shot up at her four words. Four words that changed everything, but this time in a good way.

"What?"

"I was in dance, and I was dancing with Nick, but all I could think about was you. I imagined this whole dance scene with you, and that song. I needed it out of my head, because I knew you were a ghost, and Flynn had convinced me it couldn't happen because you were dead. It's why I avoided you during Great, trying to prove her wrong about my feelings, but I couldn't because they are real and I didn't want to mess with what we had, but now you are practically alive and it could work, but I didn't want to mess anything up and I didn't want to be misreading the signs. I mean it could just be our chemistry during songs and that's it but-" Julie rambled before Luke cut her off. He wanted to kiss her to stop her, but he wanted to have her permission to do that and not just ambush her.

"Jules, I feel the same." He told her, and her eyes widened. Her expression turned into a bright smile.

Luke leaned closer to her, their noses brushing,

"Can I kiss you?" He asked softly, he felt her softly nod before his lips captured hers.

Eventually they came up for air and leaned their foreheads against each others.

"I guess we aren't playing pretend anymore?" Luke joked.

"We're more than friends. We're perfect harmony." Julie smiled up at him before his lips captured hers once more.


	12. Halloween Special

(Okay can we just come to the agreement that unless I say otherwise during a story that the guys can be seen whenever they want to be and are basically alive just with their ghost powers and Ray knows about them? Because I think I've explained that in nearly every chapter, so just assume it unless I note otherwise please.) 

Happy Halloween, enjoy this Halloween special!!

"Guess who booked you guys a gig on Halloween!" Flynn announced walking into the studio seeing Julie and the guys chilling about.

"Really where?" Julie asked.

"The beach, but hear me out, they are putting on this huge Halloween beach club event. Unlike the Orpheum this will not be to attract managers and labels, rather to expand you fanbase. They want you to do both originals and a few covers. Also you guys have to be dressed up, you guys don't have to match but everyone has to be in costume." Flynn explained the details of their gig.

"Sounds fun." Julie commented trying to think up her costume.

"We get to dress up!?" Reggie jumped up from the couch, "What am I going to be?" Reggie began pacing around the room talking to himself about what he should go as.

"I'm going to leave you guys to it, but I better be impressed by your costumes." Flynn said flipping her hair over her shoulder as she walked out.

Alex and Reggie began discussing their ideas when Luke pulled Julie off to the side.

"Hey, I was thinking, since this is our first Halloween together, it would be cool to... I mean if you don't want to we don't have to but-"

"Just spit it out Luke." Julie laughed at her boyfriend.

"Do a cute couples costume?"

"Aww I would love that," Julie said taking his hand, before looking to side trying to figure out what they could be. "I think we should do a couple that is in a musical or something, so then we can sing their song together. Flynn did say they wanted a mix of originals and covers..."

"I like they way you think Jules."

As they began discussing different ideas, Reggie and Alex across the room began discussing their own.

"Ok, but what is still popular from our time. Like I doubt Alf and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is huge, and I don't want to dress up in those outfits anyways. Transformers could be cool, but I don't know if we could still play our instruments in those costumes." Alex rambled.

"Dude, I've got it: Star Wars!! You be Luke, I mean you have the hair for it and we can make your drumsticks look like lightsabers, lightsabers dude. I can be Han, your best friend!" Reggie began jumping up and down at this realization. Alex had to admit, it was a really cool idea and Reggie did have a very Han Solo look.

"That sounds cool. I think that works perfect, then we can do a cover of some of the Star Wars songs, and we know Star Wars is still cool."

"Even if they did kill off Han freaking Solo."

Reggie rushed over to Julie and Luke, who were still determining their costumes.

"We've got it! Alex is going to be Luke and I am going to be Han!"

"Wait why is Alex dressing up as me?" Luke asked confused not catching the second half.

"No, Luke Skywalker, the superior Luke, and I will be Han Solo, his best friend! Well other than Chewie of course." Reggie stated proudly.

"The superior Luke?" Luke questioned.

"He uses the force and has a lightsaber. A lightsaber dude"

"Yeah, well I can teleport, become invisible, and walk through walls."

"So what dude, we all can do that, it's a ghost thing."

"Well the force and the lightsabers are a Jedi and Sith thing."

"But Luke, drank blue milk."

"I will go put blue food dye in a glass of milk right now." Luke challenged.

"Hey guys, how about we direct our attention elsewhere." Alex interjected, "like what are you two going to wear?"

"We are still working on it, but I have an idea..." Julie trailed off, smirking at Luke.

"What is that look on your face? I don't trust that look." Reggie jumped.

"Don't worry about it." Julie smiled while Luke looked at her, curious to know what was going on in her beautiful mind, "But I think I just figured it out, and it complies with Mr. "I'm allergic to sleeves" sleeveless requirements and our song."

"I like where this is going."

\----

A little while later Julie went to talk to her dad about an idea she had after hearing what Reggie was dressing up as.

"Hey, dad, have you figured out your Halloween costume yet?"

"No I haven't sweetie, but judging by that look on your face you have figured mine out."

"Well..." Julie explained her idea, and Ray was fully on board and extremely excited as he went off to put together his costume.

\----

Julie pulled Luke up into the loft where she had a ton of her moms clothes and other random costume pieces stored, and she knew of some certain pieces of clothing up there that would work for their costumes.

"So Julie, you still haven't told me what our costumes will be, but I am happy about this sleeveless thing."

"Well, I figured we could be Aladdin and Jasmine, meaning we get to sing "A Whole New World". Just like you showed me a whole new world when you convinced me to play music again, and the ghostly side. I especially liked that time we went on a mini world tour as you flashed us around the world."

"Anything for my princess."

"Aww... aren't you a charmer."

"Your prince Charming."

"Nah, I prefer my rock star. Prince Charming is too dull."

Luke smiled down at his girlfriend before kissing her softly.

Once they pulled away they began going through the boxes until they found everything they needed for their costumes.

"Perfect." Julie said as they each walked were fully dressed in their costumes.

"You do look gorgeous."

"And you look handsome." She said running her hand down his bare muscled arms.

"You know for as much as you mess with me about not liking sleeves, you never seem to mind the lack of them."

"Well, I have to mess with you about something, but it doesn't mean I don't like to see your toned arms."

"Well, you may like looking at them, but I like wrapping them around you." He said turning her before wrapping her in a hug from behind leaning his head against hers. Julie just smiled relishing being in her amazing boyfriends arms. She loved that she could touch him now. She leaned back against his chest as she savored the warmth he surrounded her in.

"I do love when you do that."

"Then aren't you happy you have a boyfriend like me" 

"You seem to be one jump ahead of me on these references, but I don't care right now."

"So will you let me show you a whole new world Princess Julie?"

"Well, as lovely as that sounds, I think I want to stay in your arms forever."

"Then how will we be able to play music if my arms can never release you?"

"We'll figure it out." She joked.

\----

Halloween night came, and Carlos was proudly dressed as a ghost. He received many eye rolls for his costume from a few actual ghosts and ones girlfriend.

"I wonder what Ray is being?" Reggie asked decked out in his Han Solo costume.

"Well, best buddy, I thought I should go as your best buddy." Ray said walking up behind Reggie in his Chewbacca costume.

Reggie's eyes went wide as his jaw dropped, he couldn't believe his best buddy Ray had actually dressed up as Chewbacca for him. His dad never would have done this for him. Finally regaining control of himself he ran up to Ray and wrapped him in a hug.

"Alright, we need to get into the Falcon soon or we are going to be late." Ray told them grabbing his keys from Reggie who handed them to him from under the mail as soon as he say Ray start looking for them. "And, Han, as my co-pilot you get shotgun." 

They rushed off to the car, sorry the Falcon, and got ready to head to the beach.

"So Luke," Ray started when two different boys answered.

"Oh no..." Julie mumbled already knowing the debate that was soon to start.

"I'm Luke, your Alex."

"No you are Aladdin, I am Luke."

"I literally wrote a song called "My Name is Luke"." 

"Yeah, which Bobby sang, so I'm not sure you still qualify." 

"You did not just- Low blow dude. Low blow." Luke shook his head at Alex who was dressed as Luke Skywalker and not actually Luke.

"You are Aladdin, and I am Luke tonight." Alex faked a Jedi mind trick on Luke.

"I'm a Toydarian, your Jedi mind tricks don't work on me." Luke (the actual Luke) quoted.

"No you are Aladdin. I am Luke."

"I'm still the superior Luke."

"Actually-" Reggie went to jump in.

"Nope. We are not going there again. Luke I will officially declare you the superior Luke because you are dating me, and I am talking to the Luke that is dressed as Aladdin just to make that clear." Julie interjected.

"But either way neither of the Luke's will be kissing my daughter tonight." Ray half-way joked.

"Good thing I'm Jasmine and your Aladdin then." Julie joked back.

"You know if they are calling this the Falcon, I think we get to call it our Magic Carpet." Luke commented, the actual Luke. 

They continued their jokes all the way to the beach where they met up with Flynn who was dressed as Celia from Descendants, one of her favorite movies.

"Consider me... impressed with your costumes. Especially Aladdin and Jasmine. I expect a rendition of A Whole New World filled with your signature chemistry." Flynn commanded as she ushered them to the backstage area set up for them.

Julie and the guys spread out in the dressing room/band hang out area while Ray and Carlos went to the audience to wait on the performance and Flynn went to make sure everything was set up and ready for them, including the 'hologram' machine. Reggie of course sitting on the floor leaning up against the bottom of the couch.

"So, everyone remember the set list?" Luke asked.

"Yes, Luke." Alex said rolling his eyes, this was at least the twentieth time Luke had asked since this morning.

"Hah, you called me Luke."

"What- no- Reggie help!"

"No can do Luke, you said it. Didn't he Aladdin."

Julie rolled her eyes and walked over to the couch, sitting down next to her boyfriend before he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him.

"Look, Aladdin and Jasmine can't keep their hands off of each other." Reggie teased.

"They better hope there is never a global pandemic and they want everyone to stay six feet apart because you two would not survive it." Alex joked.

"Whatever dude, like that would ever happen," Luke brushed off, "And even if it did, it wouldn't stop me from being close to Julie."

"Aww, I love you too Luke."

"I love you more."

"I'm not starting that again." Julie told him knowing where this was going to go, once again.

Luke laughed before they began warm ups.

A little while later Flynn knocked before coming in.

"It's showtime Phantoms!" She announced as they left the dressing room, the guys remaining unseen to keep up the phantom thing. They would flash in for the first song then flash off only to walk on for the next song so they were 'physically' there for the rest.

Julie walked out and began to play the first song on their set list, Great, she played her notes as she waited on the sounds of surprise to come from the crowd when the guys appeared. She walked around singing interacting with each of the guys, especially Luke. Before the song came to and end and the guys walked on stage, Reggie and Luke with their Guitars and Alex just walking up to his drum set that was pre set up to avoid questions.

They continued their set list playing a few covers including a few stars wars scores, which sounded awesome, Speechless from the new Aladdin, and some of their own songs when they got to the song they had decided to end their night on, A Whole New World. They, Reggie and Alex, decided that the chemistry would be too intense to end it on literally anything else.

"Do you trust me?" Luke asked into the mic looking over to Julie.

"Yes." She replied as they began.

Luke started at his mic stand switching to playing his acoustic guitar, as Julie began playing the keyboard ready to stand up and grab her mic.

I can show you the world  
Shining, shimmering, splendid  
Tell me, princess, now when did  
You last let your heart decide?I can open your eyes  
Take you wonder by wonder  
Over, sideways and under  
On a magic carpet rideA whole new world  
A new fantastic point of view  
No one to tell us no  
Or where to go  
Or say we're only dreaming

Julie smiled as she stood up pulling her mic and walking over to Luke as he pulled away from his mic and they used the stage to go through their instinctive choreography.

A whole new world  
A dazzling place I never knew  
But when I'm way up here  
It's crystal clear  
That now I'm in a whole new world with you  
Now I'm in a whole new world with youUnbelievable sights  
Indescribable feeling  
Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling  
Through an endless diamond skyA whole new world  
Don't you dare close your eyes  
A hundred thousand things to see  
Hold your breath - it gets better  
I'm like a shooting star  
I've come so far  
I can't go back to where I used to beA whole new world  
Every turn a surprise  
With new horizons to pursue

Luke was so happy she sang again. Since he had heard her voice that first time, he never wanted to stop. He wanted to show her the world, help her achieve everything she possibly could with her voice, and he wanted to do it with her. He wanted every adventure with her, every up. Every down. 

Every moment red-letter  
I'll chase them anywhere  
There's time to spare  
Let me share this whole new world with youA whole new world  
That's where we'll be  
A thrilling chase  
A wondrous place  
For you and me

They ended it with Julie holding the mic between them, their faces mere inches apart. The stage electrified with chemistry. 

The audience waited with a baited breath before erupting into applause as the band took their bows. After relishing in the applause for a moment they walked off the stage to go back to their designated room where Ray, Carlos, and Flynn would be meeting them.

They each grabbed their own towels and dabbed some of the sweat off of themselves from the bright, hot lights and just from moving so much.

"The crowd really got a kick out of your lightsaber drumsticks dude." Reggie told Alex.

"But they really enjoyed Jasmine and Aladdin's duet. You guys killed it." Alex said gesturing to the adorable couple who were sitting next to each other on the couch coming off the adrenaline high.

"Hey, give yourself some credit you rocked it!" Luke told Alex.

"Yeah Alex, you were amazing!" Julie added.

"Ok, I was pretty amazing, but so was Han over there."

A knock came from the door before Ray, Carlos, and Flynn walked in.

"That was awesome you guys!" Ray complimented.

"Yeah, I guess I have a pretty cool sister and some moderately cool ghost housemates." Carlos joked.

"Thanks little dude." Reggie told Carlos.

Flynn pulled Julie off to the side,

"Great job on that eye contact thing." Flynn joked.

"You're still using that joke?"

"What you two are adorable together, and the chemistry just oozes off the stage."

"You just as bad as Reggie with that word."

"What word? OOOOZES.?"

"Flynn."

"The word just oozes out of me."

"Flynn. Just no."

"Whatever." Flynn laughed turning around

They laughed the whole way back to the Falcon before heading back to the house.

Luke and Julie were going to stay at the house while Ray took Carlos trick or treating. Reggie and Alex decided to join in since they were all matching.

Luke and Julie headed to the living room and grabbed a blanket before curling up on the couch together pulling up Disney Plus. Remembering the new episode of the Mandolorian had come out the night.

"You know Reggie is going to kill us if he finds out we watched it without him." Julie commented.

"Yeah, and he was so excited today. I guess we can wait on him." Luke said rolling his eyes scrolling past it. "We could enjoy our movie then I guess."

"I think that sounds wonderful."

Luke clicked on the live action Aladdin, and for every song they got up and put on a dramatic show before falling back onto the couch and cuddling together as they waited on the next song. They laughed at each others antics until the movie ended and they just stayed curled up on the couch together. Talking about everything and nothing.

That's where Ray and the rest of the guys found them asleep when they got home.

Ray just added a second blanket to them and smiled, happy his daughter had found someone so wonderful.

\----

Happy Halloween!!!

Hope you guys enjoyed, please leave me requests!! I also love to hear your thoughts, every comment honestly means more that you guys could possibly know. I constantly look and my phone and smile seeing the different things you guys comment, especially when yall have yall's snarky comments about what's happening. After this week though my updates may slow down a but due to school starting Wednesday, (long story as to why school is only just now starting), but I will try and keep updating as often as I can.

Once again hope you guys enjoyed and leave me your thoughts and requests!


	13. Shield Me From the Mob

Their skyrocket to fame over the years lead to many good things, but with all good things there is a negative balance.

Julie and Luke were just out on the town for the afternoon, shopping, having lunch, and just generally hanging out. They didn't go out often because of their busy schedule and the lack of privacy, but occasionally they did go out into the wild. They figured today would be safe as so many people would be rushing around to start their Christmas shopping, but things never do go as planned.

Luke walked off from Julie for just a few minutes to go grab them each a drink from the mall food court. Julie stood in a corner, waiting checking her phone for any messages, when a little girl walked up to her wearing a Julie and the Phantoms shirt.

"Are you Julie?" The little girl asked wide eyed looking up at the famous singer. Julie looked down at her with a big smile and put her phone in her jacket pocket before kneeling down to get on the little girls height.

"I am, and who are you?"

"I'm Madison. I love your music! My daddy plays it for me every time we get in the car."

"Well hi Madison, I'm so glad you love our music. Where is your dad?"

"He was right over there, but then I turned around and he was gone, but he told me if I ever get lost find someone I trust, or an adult who looks like they are in charge, and I trust you."

"Oh, well then we must find him. What's you dad's name?"

"Sam. He is really tall and has blonde hair. He is wearing a blue shirt today." Madison explained.

"Well, then lets see if we can find-" Julie was cut off by a tall blonde man in a blue shirt running up to them

"Madi! I couldn't find you!" Madi's father rushed out. "Thank you so much for watching-" His eyes went wide as he realized who his daughter had found.

"It was no problem, she was so sweet, and she had just told me your name and what you looked like so we could find you. She also told me you really like my bands music."

"Thank you! and if you wouldn't mind could Madison take a quick picture with you?"

"Of course! And Luke should be back over here any minute now if she wants a picture with him too if you have time." Julie offered crouching down once more to take a picture with the sweet little girl.

He took a quick picture and thanked her once more, but the sudden flash from the corner caught a few peoples attention, and they realized who was standing there. Julie of Julie and the Phantoms, and suddenly she was surrounded by people.

They were shouting at her from all different directions, shoving papers and markers into her face yelling for autographs.

Julie was suddenly in the middle of a mob of fans. She tried to sign a few things, but they had gotten so close that she couldn't move at all. If she moved her arm she was bumping into someone, if she turned her head a paper scratched up against her face. She couldn't take a step in any direction and was quickly becoming overwhelmed and starting to panic. She could feel the crowd closing in and her breath quickening.

She tried to speak out, asking them to step away, but nothing would come out when she opened her mouth as she jerked her head in different directions trying to find a way out, but there were no gaps for her to escape through. Only more people pushing through. All of the faces were beginning to blur together as her eyes flashed through the crowd, hoping to find anything or anyone who could help her. When suddenly a sleeveless knight in shining armor pushed his way to the front, his hood up in attempt to be recognized at least a few seconds later than he would without it. He grabbed her wrist tight, but in a comforting way. Julie felt the familiar callouses on his hands he had developed from his many years of guitar playing, and instantly a wave of comfort washed over her, she was still consumed by panic, but she had something to help ground her. Once Luke knew she knew who had her wrist he began pulling them out of the crowd, weaving his way through the fans. His hood being down allowed for him to have a few extra seconds before he was recognized by each fan. Those few seconds were priceless when it came to him pushing his way out.

As he reached the edge of the crowd he saw mall security trying to break up the crowd. He pulled Julie past them as the crowd began to follow, Luke began moving faster and weaving them through the general mall traffic until he made it to the streets and pulled Julie straight to where they had parked their car. He opened the passenger door for her and shut it before rushing into the drivers seat. By some miracule the street itself was clear allowing him to quickly pull out into the street leaving the mob of fans who had managed to follow in the dust.

Luke pulled up to their house just a few minutes later, thanking every star in the sky they hadn't gone farther from home. He put the car in park before turning to Julie who was still in the midst of an anxiety attack. It had been a while since she had one especially one so severe, but the intensity of the fans had made them resurface on occasion.

He placed a hand on each of her shoulders turning her towards him gently.

"Hey, Julie. It's going to be okay. You are in the driveway of the house. You aren't in the mall anymore. It's going to be okay. It's Luke, I am right here. Just breathe with me."

He exagerated his breaths trying to get her to follow. He squeezed his hands tighter on her shoulders as he breathed in, and loosened them as he breathed out, trying to help her find the pattern once more.

He repeated his words a few more times reminded her to breath, until finally her breathing leveled out.

"Ok, you are going to be fine. I am going to get out of the car, and I'm going to come around to you." He explained slowly to her, seeing her eyes still flitting around trying to find a focal point. Usually she would focus on Luke's face, but he couldn't get in the right position to block out everything but him. 

Hesitantly he got out of the car, grabbing the keys as he did and then shut his door. He rushed around to the passenger side and opened it. He placed one arm around her back and the other under her knees. He held her close to him and pulled her out of the car bridal style before closing the door with his foot. He opened the door that led from their garage to the inside of the house and once more shut the door with his foot. He walked over to the couch and sat down holding Julie in his lap tight against his chest.

He whispered comforting words in her ear the whole time, and once he was sitting down he began drawing random shapes on her arm to give her something physical to focus on. He kept talking to give her a sound to focus on, and he look her in the eyes to give her something to visually focus on. 

They stayed like this until she had calmed down.

"I'm-" Julie started.

"I swear if you say you are sorry," He told her knowing what she was about to say, he paused a moment and wiped a stray tear from her face, "You have nothing to apologize for. It's not your fault those people mobbed you. It was scary, and I wasn't the one stuck in the center of it. Your reaction was entirely reasonable. You've helped me through more than my fair share of issues."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, but no thanks are necessary."

"Doesn't mean I don't still appreciate it."

Luke smiled at her before she sat up a bit more.

"How about we watch a movie?" Luke offered.

"Sounds good, but nothing too long, we still have band practice in a little bit."

"Jules, I can text the guys. They will be perfectly fine with canceling."

"No Luke, I need to practice."

"Jules, you are amazing, cancelling one practice won't mess anything up."

"I know, but I need the practice, not practice itself. I need the music, the release. I need the practice." She explained.

Luke understood what she meant; music always made him feel better, and he knew it did the same for her.

"Ok, but the guys have to know what happened. You know we all worry about each other. We will still have practice, but it can be more of a jam out practice than a normal one. How about that?" Luke offered the compromise, knowing with her having been this bad off she would just stress herself out even more with a regular practice. The music itself would help, but everything else would undo it all.

"Deal." She said before laying her head back down on his chest listening to the constant thump of his heart beat.

Luke texted the guys and let them know what was going on, they quickly agreed to just have a fun practice session and do anything else Julie needed. She had would have done the same for them and had on many occasions. They also moved practice back an hour and a half knowing Julie would fall asleep as she always did after an attack.

Julie fell asleep on his chest a few minutes later and Luke pulled out his phone to make a post on all of his social media platforms.

"We love our fans, but if you see us in public, do not mob us. We love to talk to you guys and take pictures, but if you just surround us and crowd in on us we can't do anything anyway. How would you feel if you were suddenly surrounded by a ton of people and couldn't move? Please take this into consideration, and this goes for everyone. We are just regular people too."

Luke posted out, his social media feed was covered in posts talking about the incident at the mall. Mainly people defending them for leaving. He loved this part of the fans, the ones who defended them for being human to those who felt they were these fictional charcter they could do whatever they wanted to. He smiled at the defenses and even commented on a few thanking them for their words.

He saw Alex and Reggie had done the same and where also commenting on others posts thanking them for their defense.

Luke laid there until Julie eventually stirred from her nap and insisted they head out to their studio in their backyard to practice since Reggie and Alex were almost there.

Alex walked in and immediately engulfed Julie in a tight hug and was quickly followed by Reggie.

"Thanks guys, but I'm ok now. Honest."

"Then that hug was to comfort me," Reggie declared, "I was don't like when people upset you."

"That goes for me too." Alex added.

Julie smiled before they began to play together, and as they played she felt the tension that was left fade away.

\----

Hope you guys enjoyed! I am working on another piece to the Hall of Fame series, but didn't want to make yall wait to long, so here is a shorter less plot full one-shot to give you guys some feels. There might be a slight delay in the next chapter since the Hall of Fame ones are never short no matter what lol. Please leave more requests and tell me your thoughts!!! You guys' reviews mean more than you could ever know!


	14. Finding our Perfect Harmony part 1/? (Hall of Fame cont.)

Since yall seem to need this (You know who you are):

Crying potential relatively high.

\-----

Their group hug and start to mending years of pain had been a few days ago. The uneasy tension still surrounded them. Luke and Julie were both walking on tightropes around each other, neither quiet sure what to say to the other. Finally one day Luke texted Julie. It turns out that phone number he stared at for years wondering if it was still her number, was still her number.

"Can we talk?"

He simply sent. He wasn't sure how to approach this. He wanted her to set the pace. He knew he was the one who was facing the up hill climb, and she could push him away at any moment and send him tumbling back down. He had to choose his steps carefully. He couldn't mess up this chance. 

Finally after a tense minute, he received a response.

"Yea, sure, my house when you get this?" 

He read it a few times just to make sure she really said yes before he flashed to her front door. He reached his hand through and knocked. It felt nice to do something that used to be so normal for them.

"Come in Luke!" He heard her shout.

He walked through the door and saw her standing there. 

"You wanted to talk?" She asked after a moment of silence. Her tone wasn't harsh, more so stiff.

"Look, I know things are going to be- tense, for a long time, but I want to talk about everything some. I want to know the damage more specifically. I want to know what I am going to have fix, and what I never will be able to fix. I want to know what I did to you that I never saw." He explained.

"Makes sense. Follow me." Julie nodded guiding him to a new room.

He followed as she opened the door to a room that reminded him of the studio back at her childhood home.

It was filled with random chairs and couches. There were blankets and pillows. A piano, a few keyboards, a small selection of guitars, and even a drum set. There were speakers and amps scattered about.

She sat down on her piano bench, a unsurprising move on her part. She did always feel safest at her piano. Though she used to feel safer in Luke's arms, until he messed all of that up.

"Ask away." She said adding a bit of amused emotion to her tone and a small smile that helped assure him.

"What was it like for you..." He trailed off for a moment, "in the months after I screwed up?"

"Well, it hurt. A lot. You know you had my complete trust, and suddenly you were gone." She paused.

He asked a few more questions, trying to figure out what he could ask to get the answers he was looking for. The problem was, he didn't know what those were so he couldn't just ask the questions.

Finally after a few answers that got them no where, Julie suddenly stood up.

"Look, we both suck at words. Let's try this a little differently." She told him and walked over to a wall filled with books and sheet music before grabbing a certain journal. She then grabbed a pen. She pressed a button that would do an audio recording of everything they did so they didn't have to worry about keep track of notes or lyrics.

She tossed both to him before walking over and grabbing an acoustic guitar, which she handed to him before pulling her keyboard closer to him.

"So let's write."

"You start, say what you want to say, and I'll come up with my response." Luke told her nodding his head.

Julie took a deep breath before she started immersing herself back into some of her darkest days.

She thought back to the days after he returned only to say anything he could to push them away, striking every nerve he knew. She remembered days filled with her just laying in her bed crying, as she thought back to all the wonderful memories they had prior to the implosion. The days and nights she spent reliving his outburst. 

She remembered how many days she wished he would just show up at her front door, rambling out every apology he could come up with. She wondered what she would have done if he had shown up. She remembered the days where she tried to get out of her bed and pick up the pieces of her life. She remembered flashes of Alex and Reggie there supporting her trying to help her.

Finding her words she opened her mouth to sing a few lyrics and let her hands skim the piano playing a series of notes.

Little do you know  
How I'm breaking while you fall asleep  
Little do you know  
I'm still haunted by the memories  
Little do you know  
I'm tryna pick myself up piece by piece

Little do you know  
I need a little more time

She thought back to the days after she started to pick up the pieces. She walked around, and tried to think of anything but Luke, but everything reminded her of him.

The beach reminded her of their mini jam sessions and when they played the Halloween beach party club thing the year they were still starting to take off.

The park: all of their mini dates, where they would either have a picnic or just go on a walk. Sometimes they would sit out there with his acoustic guitar and write songs.

Literally any club: their music, their shows, their entire lives.

She would barely listen to music for months. The only time she heard it was when she couldn't control it, like when some ones phone would ring playing their favorite song, or walking by the tv during a commercial break, and hearing a little jingle. Going to the store and hearing the music overhead. Walking down the street to see a street musician.

She didn't walk into her mom's studio for months. No matter how hard she tried to move on, it followed her. She held captive by the pain and the memories that haunted her. Even the happiest of memories were tainted.

Over the five years she never dated anyone. There was a little voice in her heart that wondered if he would ever come back to her. If he would ever try and fix everything. She both yearned and feared for that day. She didn't know if she could forgive him, and she didn't know if she would just try to go back to normal. She didn't trust herself to react. She held back from anyone for years, waiting to see if he might ever change his mind and come back and make amends. Her head told her she shouldn't, that she just needed to move on, but her heart wouldn't let go.

She looked up at him and remembered their conversation from a few nights ago, she was ready to forgive everything he did. She wasn't sure she ever would, but she could feel the forgiveness within her. She was ready to forgive him, but she couldn't forget. Not yet. Maybe never. But there was a chance, it was just a much harder battle.

So she continued her lyrics and notes.

Underneath it all I'm held captive by the hole inside  
I've been holding back for the fear that you might change your mind  
I'm ready to forgive you but forgetting is a harder fight 

Hearing the words she was ready to forgive him brought a small smile to Luke's face. He wasn't knew she wouldn't forget, but the fact she was ready to forgive him, was huge for him. It was a step, and he was willing to go through as many steps or tip toes it took to get her back.

Seeing the smile on his face, she made sure and added a few more lines, just to make sure it all clicked.

Little do you know  
I need a little more time

Luke knew it was never going to be easy to move forward from everything, that the ball and chain would follow him for a long time, but he was happy to make any progress. No matter how long it took. He knew his first lyrics for the song, he began to strum his guitar to match her mood she had begun and then began to sing.

I'll wait, I'll wait

I love you like you've never felt the pain  
I'll wait  
I promise you don't have to be afraid  
I'll wait  
The love is here and here to stay  
So lay your head on me

He regretted what he had done so much, and he knew she knew that. He didn't want to focus on what she knew, but rather what she needed to know and be assured of. He wanted to assure her, he knows he has to wait, and he will wait. He will wait even if he knew he would never out the ring back on her finger. He would wait because he had to try, and even if they never got back together, he at least wanted Julie back in his life. He wanted the band to work again. He wanted to work his way back to that family, and he was willing to wait.

He still loved her like he had never hurt her. He would never stop loving her.

He didn't want her to fear he would do it again or fear he would rush her. He was ready to wait. He didn't plan on making a mistake this time. She didn't have to be afraid it would all come crashing down, she could trust him again. His love would be here forever, and he was there for her when she was ready to lean on him again. He wouldn't falter this time.

Little do you know  
I know you're hurting while I'm sound asleep  
Little do you know  
All my mistakes are slowly drowning me  
Little do you know  
I'm trying to make it better piece by piece

He thought back to the nights after everything was messed up, he always felt the pain knowing how badly he had screwed up. He rarely was able to go to sleep easily. He would exhaust himself during the day hoping the exhaustion would consume him forcing himself into a dreamless sleep. When that didn't work he would lay awake at night. Every mistake he ever made playing through his head. A series of what ifs. Wondering what he could have done to have stopped himself from getting so far off the deep end and making every mistake that he did. He tried to put the pieces back together. He was going to go piece by piece to make this better. He knew he couldn't do this in a few leaps, he had to do in little pieces and build it back together, but he also knew the cracks would always be there, and no matter how hard he tried to put it back together perfectly, there would always be weak points he would never be able to fix. Those cracks are the past he can never change, things that can never be fixed, only covered up and put back together tightly, knowing if it were to fall again it would shatter into even more pieces easily.

Little do you know  
I, I love you 'til the sun dies

His love was forever.

They glanced over at each other before they sang together, in perfect harmony, combining what they already knew they wanted to say. Conversing in the way they did best, lyrics.

Oh wait, just wait  
I love you like I've never felt the pain  
Just wait  
I love you like I've never been afraid  
Just wait  
Our love is here and here to stay  
So lay your head on me

I'll wait (I'll wait), I'll wait (I'll wait)  
I love you like you've never felt the pain  
I'll wait (I'll wait)  
I promise you/I don't have to be afraid  
I'll wait  
The love is here and here to stay  
So lay your head on me  
Lay your head on me  
So lay your head on me

They smiled lightly as they conversed in song. The nostalgia of when they used to write together coming to the surface as Julie laid her head down on Luke's shoulder as they finished the note. He looked down shocked, he hoped music would get them somewhere, but he never imagined she would lay her head on him. He thought she would still stay a small distance away. He knew that they had hugged when they first made up, but that was different, they had just done it, it was fresh and the rest of the band was there. It was a reunion, not a meeting.

Luke looked down at her, before finishing the song solo. Wanting her to remember just how much he still loved her, even if she wasn't sure anymore.

'Cause little do you know  
I, I love you 'til the sun dies

They sat in silence for few moments, Julie's head still on his shoulder.

"So, have I improved my stance any?" Luke asks with a small smile.

"The ice might have thawed a little bit." Julie admitted.

"I think it was more than a little bit, we just wrote a song together, and you laid your head on my shoulder. I pretty sure we have iced water now, and not just a cup of ice."

"The cup might have a little bit of water."

"That's all I need. Every ocean started with just a few drops."

"But, you still don't have a puddle."

"Aww, so you mean I can't go jump in it in my rain boots?" Luke playfully whined.

"I mean you can try, but you won't make much of a splash."

"I missed this." Luke admitted after a beat of silence.

"You were the one who left." Julie reminded him, though it wasn't as cold as it once was. The sentence more so came out just... empty. Hollow.

"I know."

Meanwhile unbeknowst to them, Alex, Reggie, and Flynn all sat in Julie's living room watching th live feed from the studio. Alex and Reggie bawling their eyes out from the sweet song.

"She put her head on his shoulder dude." Reggie squeaked out through his tears.

"I know, and- and they wrote a song. Together. It was so sweet." Alex said as the tears streamed down his face.

"Come on, he still has a long way to go." Flynn interjected, her tone had a hint of harshness to it, but deep down she was happy to see her best friend makin up with her true love. Luke flashing in at just the right moment was a sign, and she was still ticked she wasn't there for it.

"But he got some water in the cup Flynn! Water! Those few drops will turn into a puddle, and then a- a pond, then a lake. A lake Flynn, and before you know it will be a sea! Then- then it becomes... an ocean." Reggie stammered out, too emotional to get a full sentence out smoothly.

"And once it's an ocean..." Alex trailed off smiling, "The world will be right again."

"Come on you love sappy boys, if we don't leave soon they'll catch us."

"Too late." Came a voice from across the room. Julie and Luke stepped out from behind the corner of the wall to reveal themselves.

"Oh hey Julie, we were just- um-" Reggie stammered before sighing, "Yeah there is no covering this up."

"Yeah no, but good try Reg."

"Thanks." Reggie said with a lop sided smile.

"I don't think it was a compliment dude." Alex told Reggie whose eyes widened.

"What's the one thing scarier than two girls crying?" Alex asked Reggie rhetorically.

"A mad Julie." Reggie answered with a tight smile on his face before he flashed out, and was quickly followed by Alex.

"Hey! Don't leave me!" Flynn shouted to thin air, before turning to Julie and Luke with a sheepish smile upon her face, "Don't suppose you could pretend like I poofed out too? No? Ok"

Flynn ran out the door and raced away.

"So now where does this leave us? More specifically than some water in a cup?"

"How about, you can now stop by whenever? But you can not flash anywhere into the house except the living room and kitchen. When you do you can press the button," Julie gestured over to a button on the wall. "It let's me know when one you guys decide to stop by since you people don't seem to know how to knock."

"Hey, we knock, we just reach out hand through the door to knock. It lets you know who is there before you let us in."

"Whatever, either way, you can now stop by, and maybe we can consider writing together a few times, this time for songs for the band."

"Because..." Luke prompted really wanting to hear her say it again.

"This band is back." Julie said with a small smile rolling her eyes. Moments like these made her forget everything bad that had ever happened.

\---

Hope you guys enjoyed!! I think these will be random pop ups mixed in and hopefully we can eventually get to where he gets the ring back on her finger! Let me know what you guys thought and leave requests (this includes song suggestions)!! Also did yall cry?


	15. Sing to me Instead

Crying potential: Moderately Low

(Those of you that this is for let me know if I need to change this level)

Julie was beginning to go insane, the guys had been late for every single rehearsal this week. Which is honestly kind of impressive since they can teleport, but still it was driving her insane. Why could they not be on time? She understood if every now and then one of them was late, but all three of them? Every day?

Julie sat in the studio, tapping her foot as she played random notes on the piano waiting for them to show up. Honestly all she wanted to do was play some music and get out of her head. Her birthday was in a few days, and it was her first one without her mom; she literally wanted to think about anything else.

Finally after thirty minutes of only her piano to keep her company Julie gave up and decided to go to her room realizing the guys weren't going to show up. As annoyed as she was she was also worried, were they caught up in something? Were they mad at her? Did she do something wrong?

She had no clue.

Sighing she got up from her piano and walked into the house, passing by her father,

"Hey sweetheart, no practice tonight?" Ray asked confused since he knew they were supposed to practice tonight.

"I guess not, the guys haven't shown up yet. I'll be in my room."

"I'm sure they just got distracted, but have fun."

Julie continued through her house and up to her room where she promptly flopped onto her bed. Without music she had nothing left distracting her from the thoughts inside her head.

With nothing to hold those thoughts back, her tears began to flow. Lost in thought and covered in tears, she laid there for what seemed like forever until suddenly she was no longer alone.

\---

The guys flashed into the studio realizing they were an entire hour late, but looked around to realize Julie wasn't there.

"I can't believe we are an hour late." Alex said.

"I know, but it was going so well, and we lost track of time, and honestly I think we were absolutely nailing it!" Reggie said.

"Yea, but we're late, and we've been late every single day this week..." Luke trailed off looking at the empty piano seat.

"Maybe, she had something else to do?" Reggie stretched.

Luke shook his head, 

"I'll go check the house."

Reggie and Alex stayed put knowing Luke would be the most likely to come out of this alive and be the only one who might be able to get through to her and distract her from their tardiness.

Luke decided to walk over, giving himself time to figure out what he was going to say, because he couldn't actually tell her what they were doing.

Walking into the kitchen he found Ray,

"She's upset." Ray admitted.

"I know, we got caught up..." Luke trailed off. Ray knew what they were doing, and he didn't want Julie to accidentally over hear.

"I understand, but all she sees is you guys being late and ditching her, which I know you guys aren't but she doesn't."

Luke sighed.

"She's in her room." Ray gestured up the stairs.

Luke nodded and started his way up to Julie's room when he heard Ray speak once more.

"Luke." Ray got his attention, he turned to see a sincere look upon his face, "She's taking it all really hard right now. Not just the band. I can't seem to get through to her, maybe you will have better luck."

Luke nodded once again, and took a deep breath steeling himself for what was to come. He hated seeing Julie upset, and right now she was upset about a lot.

He reached his hand through her door and knocked gently, but he received no reply. So he stuck his ear in and her her nearly silent sobs, so he walked through her door.

"Julie," He started.

"Leave me alone Luke." She spoke without look at him, continuing to face the other direction hoping he wouldn't notice the tears streaming down her face.

"Julie, I'm sorry we were late and have been late everyday this week. We just got caught up in some stuff, we've been trying to catch up on the times and- we just got distracted." Luke lied. 

"Luke, I really don't want to talk to you right now, or anyone for that matter."

Luke sighed once more, he walked over to her bed quietly and sat behind her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Luke-" Julie started but was cut off.

"Nope, just be quiet a minute. Sit up" He told her pulling her into a sitting position, which wasn't easy because she just let her body fall slack to fight against him, and he pulled her into his chest. "Look you can be mad at us in a minute, but it's clear you are upset about something else so just cry it out. I am right here, and I won't leave. You can be mad at me again in a minute, but just let me make you feel a little better first."

Julie gave in. His arms around her were so comforting she didn't want to lose it. She just wanted to stay in his safe arms forever, and let them shield her from the pains that reality brought her. She didn't care that she was mad at him because he wasn't at practice, because he was here now. She may have needed him at practice to distract her from reality, but she really needed him now to get her through reality. 

So she gave in, and buried her head into his chest, while he laid his head on her, and she cried. She just let all of the tears flow out of her.

He spoke softly to her every now and then, but feigned innocence when it came to what she was upset about. She didn't know that they knew her birthday was in a few days. He figured there was a reason she hadn't told him. The guys only knew because Ray told them, which lead to their reason for being late and not around recently, but Luke was quickly realizing he hadn't been around enough if Julie had been holding this much back. He hadn't noticed how bad it had gotten because he was so busy with the surprise. So held her tight and comforted her.

They stayed like that for who knows how long, but eventually Julie ran out of tears.

"You don't have to tell me about it, but know I am here for you." Luke told her softly.

"Maybe you are right now, but the last few days, I have barely seen you. You've been late to practice and then disappear for the rest of the day. Luke, what's going on?" Julie asked, her tone wasn't cold or harsh, but was desperate. Her world was falling down around her and her anchor kept disappearing.

"Julie..." Luke trailed off, "I know I haven't been around much the past few days, but I swear if you need me just tell me. I will be there in a flash, literally. I never want you to think anything else. I am here for you. I may have been distracted the past few days, but I swear I am here for you."

"Luke, what have you guys been up to?"

"I- I- I can't tell you. Not yet."

"The last time you guys disappeared you guys were stamped-"

"No, Julie, this is nothing like with Caleb. This is good, I just-"

"Can't tell me. Yea that's so helpful."

"Look I'm sorry Julie-"

"No Luke, you said I could be mad at you again in a few minutes, and those few minutes are over. You are lying to me right now."

"I know, but-"

"No, no buts you are lying and you are admitting to lying.

"I will tell you, just not today okay? Look I will not leave at all tomorrow. The whole day just you and me."

"Luke-"

"Please, let me make it up to you. Let me distract you from whatever it is that has you so upset. I may not be able to tell you yet, but I can do this." Luke pleaded.

"Fine, but I want to know soon."

"Ok, now do you want to go play some music or write a song or watch a movie?" Luke listed off

"No I just want to lay right here." Julie laid her head back onto his chest, despite her annoyance, her need for Luke right now out weighed it. 

So they just stayed there for an hour, Luke leaned against her headboard and Julie leaned against his chest; their fingers intertwined on one hand while Luke's free hand ran through Julie's hair and shoulder.

Julie sighed after a while, her mind at least slightly at ease with Luke holding her close. She was no longer thinking at a mile a minute spiraling into a chasm of depressing thoughts, but her mind was still trying to figure out what Luke was hiding from her. Eventually she fell asleep from the steady, comforting beat coming from her boyfriends heart, and the consistent up and down from his breathing slowly rocking her to sleep.

Ray found them like that later when he came to check up on them.

"She doing any better?" Ray asks softly trying not to wake his peacefully sleeping daughter.

"I don't know, she doesn't want to talk about it, even if I know I can't give it away. She is still mad about the secret, but she's pushing it aside for the moment." That last part scared them both, Julie could hold a grudge, so for her to admit she needed Luke more than she needed to hold her grudge... Well let's just say it was a tell sign as to how bad it must be inside her head.

"You're good in here tonight Luke. She needs you."

"Thanks, can you let the guys know I won't be there tomorrow?" Luke asks.

Ray nodded before leaving them alone once more.

\----

"Dude it's been hours, are we sure Julie didn't just kill him? You know for his second death?" Reggie questioned.

"No dude, she probably just needed a really long hug from Luke." 

"Maybe we should just tell her what we are doing. I mean if she is this upset..." Reggie trailed off.

"I've thought about it man, but I think the surprise will be worth it."

"I'm going to talk to Ray." Reggie announced after a moment of silence before flashing into the kitchen.

"Hey Reggie." Ray greeted.

"Hey Ray."

"What can I do for you?" Ray asked.

"What can we do to help Julie? I know she will really like our surprise, but at the same time we are hurting her further with the secrecy-"

"Reggie, that trick you boys have up your sleeve, it will be the best thing for her. Trust me. I think that will help her more than any hug."

"Yeah, but I want to help her feel better now. I don't like seeing her upset."

"I don't either. Luke is staying with her upstairs right now, but that's about all we can do for her for now.

Reggie sighed

\----

The next morning Julie woke up feeling warm and safe, her eyes fluttered open to find her boyfriend holding her close, his head resting one hers. She smiled letting her eyes fall closed once more; focusing on his heartbeat. For a moment the world felt at peace, but then suddenly reality came crashing back. Julie reopened hey ryes and craned her neck upwards to look at her sleeping boyfriends face. He looked at ease. She wished she could feel that way again, but once the thoughts had come crashing back into her mind they were hard to push out again. She didn't know how long she had spent staring at his face when his eyes began to flutter open.

"Good morning." He mumbled, his morning voice gravely and rough from it's lack of use.

"Good morning." She replied.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Better than I have in days."

"I'm glad." Luke paused, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Just know I'm here when you're ready."

"I know, but I'm-"

"Just not ready, I get it, but talking to me might help. Or just come write with me. You can put you feelings and thoughts into lyrics. We can even stick to metaphors and euphemisms so you don't have to reveal too much."

"Speaking of revealing, when are you going to tell me what you and the guys are hiding?"

"Soon, just not yet."

"When though?"

"It's not just my secret."

"Fine, I will let it go for a little bit. How about we just go jam?"

"Sounds good." Luke said as she sat up and began to get up.

"I'll get changed then meet you in the studio." 

Luke nodded and flashed into the studio.

"How's Julie?" Reggie rushed out as soon as Luke flashed in.

"She's... ok." Luke said vaguely.

"Is she still upset about us missing practice?"

"More so the fact we are keeping a secret, but she is more so just upset about it being her first birthday without her mom. Thought she won't talk about it or admit it."

"So what are we doing about today?" Alex asked.

"I definitely won't be at practice. I promised I would hang out with Julie all day to make up for not being around recently, especially since tomorrow is her birthday and we won't be around for most of the day, and I can basically guarantee that's when it will be the worst..." Luke trails off thinking back to his own birthday this year, but at least he could go see his mom even if she couldn't see him. Julie- Julie didn't have that privilege.

"Hey man, it will be worth it in the end." Alex assured him throwing a hand over his shoulder.

"I know, but it doesn't change how much hurt she is going to have to deal with until then."

Eventually Julie made her way down there and they jammed out for a little bit before Luke and Julie went off to watch a few movies together, practically duplicating their position from that morning as they sat on the couch watching Tangled. 

When the movie reached the credits Ray called out that dinner was ready and everyone congregated to the dining room table.

Dinner was mostly uneventful other than Luke occasionally putting his hand on Julie's knee and squeezing gently to keep reminding her he was here for her. She would squeeze back when she felt the comfort from it, but if she didn't reciprocate the squeeze he would squeeze again a few seconds later. Making sure she knew he was there for her and not allowing herself to fall into the deep recessions of her mind.

Ray nodded to Luke when dinner ended and gestured his head up the stairs silently giving him permission to stay with Julie again tonight.

He laid down with her after they had each changed into sleep clothes, wrapping his arms around her as she laid her head on his chest, Julie released a wave of tension feeling safe. She quickly fell asleep, Luke's proximity not allowing the darkness to take over her mind while she was conscious.

Though as Julie slept her mind seemed to forget about the protective arms she was wrapped in, and let the shadows take over her dreams.

Luke woke up to Julie's cries as she jerked around in her sleep.

"Julie- Julie, Hey Julie" He shook her gently trying to wake her up, when suddenly her eyes flew open and she jerked up, Luke making himself quickly revert to his ghostly intangibleness self to stop her from slamming into him.

"Luke?" she asked softly.

"I'm right here." He comforted becoming tangible once more. "It's ok, it was just a nightmare, you're awake now. Do you want to talk about it?"

Luke leaned against the headboard and pulled Julie close, she laid her head on his chest, her favorite place to lay since it let her hear his beating heart.

"I just dreamed of the days when my mom was alive. I don't really remember anything specific, it was more so just a series of emotions." Julie explained slowly after a moment of silence. 

"I'm right here Jules, do you want to tell me what kind of emotions?"

"Emptiness. Loneliness. Lost. Grief. Sadness. I just felt like I relived all of my grief and then some. Every negative emotion I ever felt, and I was just kind of trapped in it."

"I don't want you to ever feel alone again Jules. I am always here for you." He knew he had said that a lot today, but he wanted to make sure it stuck in her head. "Just breath, and go back to sleep if you think you can and if you can't I'll just lay here with you."

She nodded silently against his chest.

He did take note of the fact she didn't tell him why this was all coming back up again. She still hadn't told him about her birthday being today, but that would make the surprise that much more surprising. He thought to himself as he glanced over at the time, it was five fifty nine.

He looked down at Julie and smiled. He could tell she was still awake, but she was dozing in and out. They would hold small conversations about nothing every now and then, but mostly she stayed lost in thought. She would always be safe in his arms. He would protect her forever. He just wished she didn't have to deal with so much pain. 

He sat there watching over her as she slept on and off for hours, until noon came and Alex flashed in.

"Hey dude, we need to go get everything set up and do a last minute rehearsal since we had to cancel yesterday." Alex whispered seeing Julie was still asleep. She didn't usually sleep this late so Alex knew something was up.

"Ok, give me a minute and I'll meet you in the studio." Luke nodded. Ray had already come in earlier to check on Julie since she hadn't come out of her room yet. Ray decided to just let her sleep after hearing about last night. 

Luke slowly shifted out from under her and moved the pillows into his place. He grabbed a sticky note and left a quick note letting her know he had to go take care of something but would see her later. Then flashed out, unbeknownst to him the sticky note fell off the side table and went under her bed.

\---

Julie woke up a little while later only to realize Luke was no longer beneath her head and in his place was merely a pillow and his lingering scent.

He had left.

She knew he didn't have to stay, but she had really hoped he would. Every other time she had half way woken up he was there, but now he was gone. Normally she would be just fine, but today of all days she really needed him. He didn't know that though, because she hadn't told him what today was. 

Julie knew it was her own fault, but it didn't make the emptiness she felt surrounded by lessen any.

So she got out of her bed and opened the box that held a bunch of her moms old clothes and pulled out the Sunset Curve shirt, tying the side into a knot to make it fit a little better seeing as it was a big shirt. If she couldn't have him near, then she might as well have something close. She paired it with some jeans and converse before heading down to the kitchen to grab something to eat seeing as it was almost one in the afternoon.

"Hey dad." She greeted finding him at the dinner table looking at his phone.

"Hey sweetheart, Trevor invited us over for a little get together tonight." He told her.

"What for?" She played dumb, and Ray knew it.

"Sweetheart, I know you know." He gave her a glum smile. Trevor and Carrie had gotten a lot closer to them in the recent months since the Orpheum and learning the secret behind the holograms. Julie and Carrie had mostly made up and were now pretty good friends again.

"I just don't really feel like celebrating. It's the first year without her. I didn't even tell the guys." She admitted.

"Then how about it's just a get together. Now a birthday get together."

"Whatever dad, sure, who all is going?"

"It will just be you, me, Carlos, the guys, Flynn, and Trevor and Carrie."

"Good luck getting the guys there, I barely see them right now."

"I'm sure they have their reasons Julie. How about you and I go get ice cream?" Ray suggested to take her mind off of the guys so they could carry out their plan. They always went and got ice cream on her birthday, it was a father daughter tradition.

"Sounds good." She smiled.

Carlos came rushing in at the words of 'ice cream', and soon the Molina family headed out.

Eventually it was five o'clock and time to go to Trevor's. Julie still hadn't see the guys.

They drove up to the security gates and Trevor immediately buzzed them in.

Trevor opened the door to the house as they got out of the car.

"I see you wore the right shirt for the occasion." Trevor commented seeing Julie's shirt. She looked down confused.

Trevor smiled and guided them to his home studio, where a mini stage had been set up with some speaker.

Julie looked confused as Trevor walked up onto it and grabbed his guitar when suddenly the guys poofed in with their instruments in hand and began playing.

Julies eyes widened as she recognized the song they were playing. They were playing her favorite Trevor Wilson song, rather Luke song, that she and her mom used to sing at the top of their lungs all the time.

Luke smiled at her as he saw the recognition flash in her eyes.

Julie stood frozen as she finally got to hear the songs that meant so much to her be sung by the person who wrote them, her boyfriend.

When the song finished, the guys all shouted happy birthday.

"Guys! Is this what you've been up to?" She asked tears streaming down her face.

"We wanted to do something special, and there are still a few more songs ready for you if your want to hear them?" Luke teased. Julie nodded her head not sure what else to say. They started playing "Long Weekend" then "Crooked Teeth", Luke had told her a while back who it was about making her the only other person to know, then they kept playing the songs that had introduced her to rock, the songs that Luke had written. Finally she was able to hear the songs with Luke's voice.

As they finished their mini concert the guys wrapped her into a group hug.

"Told you you wore the right shirt." Trevor commented from outside the group hug.

"I guess I did." Julie smiled, "Thank you guys so much, you have no idea how much this means to me."

"We thought it was the best present we could give you, even if you didn't tell us your birthday was today." Luke told her with a smirk.

"And I got mad at you guys!" 

"Nah, you just didn't have all of the information because we made sure you didn't." Reggie informed her with a smile.

"So did you like it Julie?" Alex asked her with a knowing smirk.

Julie's smile gave everything away.

They eventually transitioned to dinner upstairs followed by cake and then some presents, though nothing could top the concert. 

"Flynn, why did you get me a white sheet?"

"I figured you could use it to dress as a ghost, you should blend in with the rest of your band." Flynn said with a straight face before busting out laughing, "No actually I could not figure out for the life of me what to get you, and I knew I couldn't top the guys present so I went for a laugh."

The night went on with a series of laughs, though a slight saddness kept pulling at Julie's heart, so when she thought no one was paying attention she slipped out. 

She walked out onto the patio and let the cool breeze hit her as she took a deep breath.

"You okay Jules?" Luke asked from behind her.

"Yea, I just..."

"Needed away from the happiness a minute?" 

"Yea."

"Come see." Luke opened his arms wide inviting her into a hug which she gladly accepted.

"It's my first birthday without her." She cried into his chest, "I keep expecting to turn and see her behind me, but then remember she won't be there and she never will be again."

"I know Jules, but she is watching, she just can't be seen. Plus she will always be here, in your heart." He spoke softly into her ear holding her tight.

"Hearing you sing those songs tonight... I really loved it."

"I thought you might."

"I loved hearing you sing the songs I grew up on, but it also made me feel closer to her. Hearing those songs, I could practically feel her next to me singing at the top of her lungs with me."

"I'm glad."

"I'm sorry I got mad at you."

"No sorry needed, we did miss practice. A lot. From your perspective we kept ditching you."

"But you weren't you were doing all of this, for me. When I woke up this morning I was upset when you weren't there. I hoped that I would at lease have you with me today, but when you weren't..."

"I'm sorry I had to leave."

"No, don't apologize, you did nothing wrong, as far as I knew you didn't even know what today was. I never told you."

"I love you Jules."

"I love you too." 

"Oh, I almost forgot, we recorded the songs, so now you can play them whenever you want."

Luke held her tight until Julie felt ready to reenter the house and rejoin the Guitar hero tournament, it was getting intense.

"No fair you actually play the guitar!"

Luke and Julie laughed hearing Alex yell at Reggie in the house.

"And, you dominate at the drum version!" Reggie yelled back.

They may be a bizarre bunch but Julie wouldn't trade them for anything.

\----

Hope you guys enjoyed!!! Please leave requests or song ideas!! Also did I make yall cry? I have to ask in every chapter now since you guys seem to cry in even the happiest of chapters.


	16. Meeting the Father (Officially)

For those of you who need it

Crying Potential: Low I think?

Once again let me know if I need to change the crying rating.

Enjoy please leave me comments as you read! I love reading them.

\-----

"Julie, you know I really would like to meet these guys, even if it's just video chat." Ray mentioned to his daughter one morning at breakfast.

"I don't know, they aren't really huge about being seen unless they are performing."

"You know I am going to keep bugging you until I meet these guys, especially the other singer." 

Julies cheeks flushed red.

"I'll see what I can do." She told him quickly finishing her food and bringing her plate to the kitchen.

She made her way into the studio.

"So, we have a problem." She announced.

"Yeah, we do." Reggie shook his head.

"Wait, what problem are you talking about?"

"You didn't bring us any of Ray's pancakes. They are phenomenal, and we can finally eat and those are like the greatest things ever." Reggie told her matter-of-factly making some very entertaining faces along with some fun hand motions to get his point across.

"Ok, I'll see what's left in a few minutes, but my dad wants to meet you guys, and he is not taking no for an answer."

"So, how are we dealing with this?" Alex asked, "Are we going to show up solid pretending we are just visiting, or video chat from somewhere else, or are we just going to tell him?"

"I think it might be time to just tell him." Julie admitted, hopefully he wouldn't flip out too much, but now that the guys could become visible whenever it made explaining a lot less complicated.

They went about discussing the plan while Luke just sat back realizing he would officially have to meet his girlfriends father. He had never had to do that before, he was always so busy with his music he never bothered to date, but now...

Eventually they had come to the conclusion they would tell him tonight. They would simply get him to come to the studio and each make themselves visible once Julie explained. Then Reggie planned a giant hug for his best buddy. Julie was just going to go with that last step.

Luke pulled Julie off to the side after the planning was finished. 

"Jules, I will be meeting your dad, like officially."

"Don't worry, he will love you."

"But how do you know that, he- he could kick us out of the studio, or he could make us break up the band, or- or he could make us stop-"

"Luke, I know he will love you because I love you. How could he not? You are sweet, wonderful, smart, and you are an over all amazing person."

"I love you too Jules, but I don't have the greatest track record with parents and I really don't want to mess this up. What if he doesn't want his daughter dating a musician?"

"Luke, he married a musician."

"But-"

"Luke, calm down. It will be fine."

But-"

Julie decided to cut him off in the best way she knew, she got on her tippy toes and placed her lips on his.

"Now, calm down. How about we write a song? That should calm you down right?"

"Yeah let's do that."

\---

The day passed faster than they would have hoped. 

Alex had begun to practice his runway walk, Reggie was talking a mile a minute worried about his best buddy actually meeting him, and Luke was strumming randomly on his guitar stuck in his thoughts. They honestly all looked like a hot mess.

"Ok, guys, we've go this." Julie said sounding very certain, though her less than confident smile gave her away.

"I mean it's not like we are meeting you dad, who has become my best buddy, except he doesn't even know it even though I am the one who keeps finding his keys for him every morning when he loses them, and helping him pick his best pictures, or that I talk to him like everyday. So yeah nothing to worry about, unless he decides to kick us out of the studio, or he decides we can't be best buddy's or -"

"Reggie, calm down." Julie grabs him by the shoulders and shakes him, his eyes going wide.

"Right. Calm." Reggie gives her a very serious look.

"Ok, Alex, I need you to stand still for just a minute." Julie commanded.

Alex stood in place but his hands were twitching so Julie handed him his drumsticks,

"Here, go sit on the couch and just do whatever one the table."

Alex nodded and began to tap his drumsticks on the table in a quick pattern.

"Luke," Julie said getting his attention, "come out of your head you are only going to imagine this in every worst case scenario that is not going to happen remember: Worrying means you suffer twice, so stop worrying, otherwise if something does go wrong, which it won't, you only have to deal with one situation not the thousands you have concocted in your head."

Luke nodded.

"I will be right back." Julie told them going to talk to her dad.

She took a deep breath before heading into the kitchen where she found him preparing dinner, he was making some cilantro chicken with some other seasonings over rice and some seasoned red potatoes to go with it. 

"So dad, the guys will be here in a little bit. You ready to meet them?"

"Ready? I am excited! These are the guys who brought music back into your life sweetie. I can't wait to meet them. Do you think they will like this for dinner?"

"Yeah, they like everything, except hot dogs. They have a personal.... grudge with them to speak lightly."

"No hot dogs, got it."

Julie laughed silently,

"Ok, they should be here any minute. I will be right back."

Ray nodded as she went back out to the studio.

"So are you guys ready? I am not taking no for an answer so come with me. Stay invisable until I explain and then yall can just kind of make yourselves appear."

They each replied in some form of affirmative.

"Great." Julie said with extra confidence just for herself.

They walked into the house where Ray was setting the table, and the guys were all just melting at the wonderful smell that was coming from the food that they could now finally eat.

"Ok dad, so before you meet the guys I have to tell you something about them first."

"Watcha got for me sweetheart?"

"Well, you see they aren't exactly... normal people."

"All you musicians are your own characters, all extraordinary not normal."

"Yea but their-" Julie was caught off by Carlos running down the stairs.

"Ghosts!"

"Carlos, not right now Julie is telling me about the band who we are finally going to meet."

"Actually, they are ghosts."

"Julie-"

"No, dad really, remember that night after I went into mom's studio and came running out and you joked I looked like I had seen a ghost. Yeah I saw three."

"Julie, I just want to meet the guys, you don't have to come up with some elaborate story as to why I can't meet them."

"But dad it's true they are ghosts."

"Julie-"

"Look around, do you see anything that could make a hologram?"

Ray sighed but looked around and saw nothing out of the ordinary and shook his head.

"Ok, now explain this, Reggie?"

Reggie made himself appear with a big smile on his face.

"Ray! You finally get to see me! This is awesome!"

Ray stood flabbergasted.

"You know how you've been miraculously finding your keys recently? Yeah, that was Reggie, he likes to hang out with you. The one sided conversations are quiet amusing. Especially when I walk in and try to talk to both of you at once without you realizing I am talking to Reggie too." Julie explained.

"Wow, so they really are ghost? But why haven't I seen him before if he hangs out with me?"

"Well, until very recently they could only be seen when we played music together, otherwise I am the only one who can see them, but now they can make themselves seen whenever they want."

"See Ghost band." Carlos said with his arms crossed.

"Wait how did Carlos find out?" Ray asked.

"Well, that's a fun story I will explain after you meet the rest of the band, Alex?"

"Hi, I'm Alex." Alex waved with a smile.

"Ooo, now Julie's ghost boyfriend!" Carlos jumped in.

"Ghost boyfriend?" Ray questioned looking extremely confused.

Julie sighed,

"Luke?"

"Hi Mr. Molina." Luke greeted his girlfriends father sheepishly.

"So this is your band? and they are ghosts?"

"Yeah, and to circle back to how Carlos found out about them, well Reggie would you like to show off what you did to Carlos and Tia?"

Reggie disappeared making Ray's eyes go wide once more as suddenly the lamp turned on and off then the blinds on the window starting opening and closing then Reggie's specialty, he threw a blanket over his head and pretended to be a ghost... well a ghost pretending to be a ghost... I don't know it's complicated.

Reggie then reappeared putting the blanket back on the couch.

"I had to prove that little dude here was right." Reggie shrugged.

"Which lead to me really looking into this ghost thing, which is when I found that stuff in the attic."

"The french dip recipe?" Ray asked.

"Yea, Reggie and I were at the table for that find, you really had us nervous for a minute there little dude." Alex added in.

"Yes, well later I also found in the box was this old demo from the nineties, well there was a picture of four guys on it and low and behold it was Julie's band."

"So wait you guys are a band, from the nineties?" Ray asked.

"Yep."

"So, what happened to the fourth member?"

"Oh, he apparently became really successful using my songs, not bitter at all. You might know him, Bobby Wilson?" Luke interjected.

"I'm confused."

"He now goes by Trevor Wilson." Luke said stiffly.

"Wait, Trevor was in your band?"

"And stole all of my songs."

"Wait so how did you guys become... ghosts?"

"Well, we died just hours before we were supposed to perform at the Orpheum, and then we floated out of the ambulance and we thought we were in this room for like an hour but it turns out we were in there for twenty five years." Reggie explained with lot's of fun expressions going on on his face.

"So, how did you die? If you don't mind me asking. Was there an accident with some stage equipment or something?"

Julie busted out laughing.

"What am I missing sweetie?"

"Let's just say it was not an equipment accident, it's a lot more... well let's just say it's not that at all."

"Hey, we can call it an equipment incident." Reggie jumped in.

"Yeah, some equipment wasn't- in the best shape, and out street dogs we got that night were tainted... and yeah..." Luke explained.

"So that's why they have a personal grudge against hot dogs." Ray realized.

"Yeah, well Bobby stayed behind that night because he was flirting with the bartender, so he lived."

"And stole my music."

"So wait all of his music isn't his?"

"Nope, all of his hits, yeah those are mine. Note: My Name is Luke."

"I can't believe he would do that, I've known him for years now and I would never have expected that of him."

"Neither would we." Alex said.

"Yeah, so that night in the studio I put their demo on and suddenly they just appeared. We found out when they performed with me at the school that they could be seen when they played with me. You can hear them but not see them if they play music, note those times when I accidentally "left the stereo on" yeah that was them.

"Well, you guys can play whenever you want now. So, can you guys eat?"

"Yes, finally we couldn't until well the night after we played the Orpheum, long story." Reggie told him.

They had some casual conversation around the table, well as casual as it could be when half of the people there were ghosts.

Once they finished Ray pulled Luke off to the side,

"So, your Julie's, "Ghost boyfriend" as Carlos puts it."

"Yes sir, but before you-"

"Look, as long as you treat her right I'm good with it. You and Alex and Reggie, brought music back into her life. For a while there I thought I would never hear her sing again, but you guys were able to get through to her and you helped her get her spot back in the music program. You've done so much for her, and I cannot thank you enough."

"Thank you Mr. Molina-"

"Ray, call me Ray."

"Ray, she's- she's helped us a lot too. She has helped me so much."

"Well, then I'm glad you found each other."

Ray and Luke rejoined the rest and Ray went and sat on the couch next to Reggie.

"So, best buddy, what movie should we watch?"

"Umm.. Wow... let's watch Cars, I mean Lightning and Mater are goals in the best buddy department- Julie did I use that right?"

"Yea Reggie."

"Yes!" Reggie shouted.

"Well then let's watch the best buddy movie." Ray said pulling up Disney+

After the movie, in which Julie wound up leaning against Luke, both trying to ignore the random glances Ray gave them, Julie pulled her dad aside.

"Thanks for going with Reggie's Best Buddy thing, I don't know the full story, but I know he wasn't very close with his parents.

Ray nodded,

"Well, he can be my best buddy anytime he wants, especially since he manages to find me keys and my phone and my wallet. You know what he can just stick around." Ray joked.

Julie laughed before she continued.

"Alex will take a bit to open up, he also had some issues with his family, so he has some serious trust issues."

"What about Luke?" Ray noted the small smile that came to Julie's face at the mention of his name.

"He also has a complicated relationship with his parents. They didn't want a musician, and that's all he wanted. They left on bad terms, but it's improved a little bit. I would tell you more about each of their situations, but that's personal for them and I want it to be their choice when you learn."

"I understand sweetie, and I will await the day they open up to me."

Ray smiled at his daughter before they rejoined the guys once more. He was so happy Julie had found the guys, she was so much happier and she was finally singing again and she was performing. He had hoped and wished for so long that she would just sing again. He dared not believe she would perform again. Just singing would be enough, but they had brought his little girl back to life and he couldn't ask for anything more.

\----

So I hope you guys enjoyed! I've been wanting to write but could never get enough alone time to write. Please please please leave requests or songs you want chapters based on because thanks to @madsmxlti I am now hooked on Black and White. Though I am running a little low on my ideas so keep them coming, also please let me know what yall think! Constructive criticism is always welcomed as well as story suggestions for me to read (even if they are your own). 

Also did any anyone catch the fantastic beasts reference in here?

As always I have to ask who cried? I'm really curious about some of you if you've managed to not cry at all yet or at least lasted two chapters without tears?


	17. Black and White

Ok so this was not the planned next chapter but I was stuck on the original one so here is this one instead.

As always:

Crying Potential: Moderately low with a chance of happy tears (not sad)

\----

Luke paced back and forth in the studio. Tonight was the night. 

"Chill, you're doing the Alex runway thing dude." Reggie placed his hands on each of Luke's shoulders stilling him.

"But what if something goes wrong? What if she says no? What if the food is tainted and we die!?"

"Luke, calm down, if it makes you feel better propose before dinner."

"No, the plan is to propose after dinner, when we are sitting in the living room. Not before dinner."

"Breath with me Luke, you are freaking out, and of course she is going to say yes! Don't worry about that."

"What if I mess up on the song?"

"Luke, calm down. Normally I would go get Julie, but that won't work this time so instead you are getting a hug." Reggie informed Luke before wrapping his arms around one of his best friends.

"You're right," Luke breathed out as Alex flashed into the studio.

"Everything is ready to go after dinner. Your guitar is sitting in the living room, our backing recording is ready to play, and Ray is excited. Dinner is almost done, and Flynn is about to bring Julie here after keeping her busy for the past few hours." Alex reported.

"But-"

"Yes I made sure the track plays."

"and-"

"Yes there is room in the living room for us to flash our instruments in if the recording messes up."

"What about-"

"Luke, everything is covered. As long as you have the ring we are all good."

"Right here." Luke said pulling the ring out of his pocket to show it to his best friends.

"She's going to love it."

"I hope so."

\----

After a dozen more reassurances they made their way into the house to find Ray nearly done with dinner, cheese ravioli with marinara and bread with an oil dip, he was merely putting the bread and oil dip on the plates to put on the table.

"You ready Luke?" Ray asked with a smile.

"As I'll ever be."

"Do you wanna go over the plan one more time to make yourself feel better?" Reggie asked, Luke nodded wanting this to go absolutely perfect.

"So, Julie will get here with Flynn and we will have dinner, once we finish dinner Alex and I will take the plates and offer to do the dishes. Ray will follow saying he will help put up the leftovers. Flynn will get suggest getting a movie ready and you and Julie will go with her to 'pick a movie'. I've already hidden the remotes so Flynn will start 'looking' for the remote and go by the stereo and press play on the back track then sneakily leave. When she presses play there is an entire minute of empty track so you can do whatever lead in you want and grab your guitar. Meanwhile Ray will be starting the recording with Alex and I on standby for if there is an issue with the track, which there won't be, then you do your thing! She says yes! Ta Da!" Reggie explained.

"Yep, sounds like a plan." Luke breathed out, his fist patting out a beat on his leg as he tried to focus.

"Luke, can I talk to you for a minute?" Ray asked before adding, "Privately?"

Luke nodded and followed him into the hall.

"Luke, I want you to know, I am so happy about this. I know I was hesitant about your relationship at first, but I've gotten to know you over these past few years. I truly believe you are the person for my daughter. I never thought I would meet someone I deemed worthy for her, but you have proved it. You have been there for every high and low, helped her find music again after Rose passed, helped her become herself again, you brought out this whole new person she hid inside of herself for years, you've remained loyal to her and helped her achieve her dreams and achieved yours too. The way you look at her... it's a look no one can fake. I've watched the two of you sing together and write together, and it is truly magical the connection between the two of you. I cannot imagine anyone else marrying my Julie."

"Thanks Ray, it means a lot, but she's helped me a lot too. I don't feel complete without her. She is my other half, my heart."

"I know, and that's how I know she will say yes." Ray smiled down at his future son-in-law before he heard the front door open. "Let's get the ball rolling shall we?"

Luke smiled as they went back into the kitchen where Reggie and Alex had finished getting dinner ready to be served as Julie and Flynn walked in.

"Hey guys!" Julie greeted.

There was a small chorus of hellos greeting her back as well as Flynn.

"Hey Jules," Luke greeted walking up to his hopefully future fiance, wrapped an arm around her before kissing her forehead. "Did you and Flynn have fun?"

"Yeah, we even saw a few fans while we were out and about. It's still so weird even after all these years when I get recognized."

"Well, we have sold out stadiums all around the world."

"Doesn't make it any less weird."

"So, you ready for dinner?"

"Yep, Flynn made sure I worked up an appetite. I swear she tried to fit a weeks worth of activities into a day."

"Well, then we better get you fed."

Julie smiled at her boyfriend leaning into his chest affectionately for a few seconds before pulling away to get her food. Luke followed grabbing his own plate and drink before heading to the dinner table taking his seat next to Julie.

Throughout the whole dinner all he could think about was what came next. He kept having to reach over and grab Julie's knee to ground himself.

Julie knew something was up, Luke only grabbed her knee this much when he was either upset or anxious and needed some reassurance that she was near. So after a few times she eventually moved her hand to hold his. Hoping to ease whatever panic was simmering within him. Instantly Luke was more at ease, just feeling her grip on his hand had sent calming waves throughout his whole body.

The conversation continued around the table until everyone was done eating and had been for a few minutes.

"I'll take care of the dishes." Reggie offered standing up grabbing his plate as Alex did too.

"I'll help." Alex added as the plan continued to unfold.

Julie thought nothing of their offer, they all took turns randomly offering to do the dishes each dinner, and Julie really wanted to get Luke alone for a few minutes to find out what was bothering him.

"I'll go put the leftovers up while they do that then. Why don't you guys go pick a movie?" Ray said standing up heading to the kitchen.

"Sounds good, any requests?" Flynn asked standing up from the table.

Ray shook his head.

Flynn, Luke, Julie all ventured into the living room. Luke and Julie sitting in their usual spots on the love seat, Luke's guitar sitting on the table.

"Why's your guitar here?" Julie asked curiously.

"Oh, I got here a little early and was messing around with a song."

"Guys, I can't find the remote anywhere, I'll go see if one of the guys knows where it went." Flynn interjected as Luke watched her walk off from the speaker.

Julie nodded before starting to look around to see if she saw the missing remote.

"Well, if Flynn is having to ask where it's at then we both know they will get distracted in there. Want me to play what I have of the song? I need some feedback."

"Sure, I love hearing your music."

Julie smiled as he grabbed his guitar and strummed the opening a few times over as he waited on the back track to start. Then he began to sing despite his racing heart.

That first night we were standing at your door  
Fumbling for your keys, then I kissed you  
Ask me if I want to come inside  
'Cause we didn't want to end the night  
Then you took my hand, and I followed you

Luke remembered their first date, they stood outside her front door, and it was cold outside so Julie could not manage to get a grip on her keys. Luke was laughing softly at her before taking the keys and unlocking the door.

"I had fun tonight Luke." Julie smiled up at him.

"So did I," Luke smiled down at her, "What if we didn't end it now? We could go write some more?"

"Yeah, let's do that." Julie smiled before grabbing his hand and pulling him towards to studio softly laughing from the joy filled night.

Yeah, I see us in black and white  
Crystal clear on a starlit night  
In all your gorgeous colors  
I promise that I'll love you for the rest of my life  
See you standing in your dress  
Swear in front of all our friends  
There'll never be another  
I promise that I'll love you for the rest of my life

Luke began to imagine their wedding, Julie wanted a late afternoon wedding in the winter, so they could dance under the stars, just like they did on so many dates. He saw her in her gorgeous white wedding dress walking down the aisle towards him in his black suit, her eyes filled with the colors of their future playing through them. Infinite possibilities. Walking down the aisle towards him, Alex and Reggie standing by his side, Flynn standing on the other side of the arch, Ray at Julie's side, his parents on front row. Julie standing in-front of him saying 'I do', as they promise themselves to each other forever.

Now, we're sitting here in your living room  
Telling stories while we share a drink or two

Julie smiled next to Luke as he played the song for her, she started to interpret the lyrics. Her heart began to beat faster, was this leading to what she thought it was? 

And there's a vision I've been holding in my mind  
We're 65 and you ask  
"When did I first know?" I always knew

Luke smiled at Julie as she began to realize what was going on, but all he could think about what the image he had of them at 65, sitting in their living room with their grandchildren sitting on the floor, having just been playing music with them. One had asked to hear about how they had fallen in love, and they began to tell the story together with bright smiles upon their face, when Julie interrupted the story to ask when he first knew she was the one, only for him to give her a nostalgic smile and tell her that he always knew. Because Luke did always know, even if it took him a bit to admit it to himself, he always knew.

Yeah, I see us in black and white  
Crystal clear on a star lit night  
In all your gorgeous colors  
I promise that I'll love you for the rest of my life  
See you standing in your dress  
Swear in front of all our friends  
There'll never be another  
I promise that I'll love you for the rest of my life  
I want the world to witness  
When we finally say I do  
It's the way you love  
I gotta give it back to you  
I can't promise picket fences  
Or sunny afternoons  
But, at night when I close my eyes I see us in black and white

He didn't know what the world would bring, or when their tainted hot dog would come around, but he knew he wanted her forever. However long that was. He knew the days would never be perfect, but all he needed was her. She was his other half, picket fences and bright days, they didn't matter, they were just bonuses. They were the sprinkles on the ice cream, they may have added flavor and color, but they only enhanced what was beneath it. All he need was her. Them. Together. Forever. Standing together in-front of everyone who mattered, in black and white, two opposite colors yet they couldn't exist without the other. His other half. The melody to his beat. The lyrics to his song. The strings to his guitar. The yin to his yang. She was his everything. His balance. His love.

Crystal clear on a star lit night  
There'll never be another  
I promise that I'll love yaI see us in black and white  
Crystal clear on a star lit night  
In all your gorgeous colors  
I promise that I'll love you for the rest of my life  
See you standing in your dress  
Swear in front of all our friends  
There'll never be another  
I promise that I'll love you for the rest of my life  
There'll never be another  
I promise that I'll love you for the rest of my life

Luke paused for a moment as the sounds faded from his final strum on his guitar, before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a black velvet box.

"Julie Molina, Jules, the love of my life, the melody to my beat, will you do me the honor of marrying me?" Luke asked, his heart racing and his head filled with the sound of it's rapid beating. He slowly opened the box which housed the engagement ring.

Julie gasped her brain trying to keep up with her surroundings as everything seemed to slow.

After what felt like years, but was really only a few seconds Julie's face broke out into a smile.

"Yes, Luke, yes!" Julie threw her arms around his neck and held him tight, tears of joy forming in her eyes. She whispered softly into his ear, "I promise that I will love you for the rest of my life."

Luke pulled away slightly and smiled at her, his smile becoming larger than he thought physically possible, before leaning forward again to capture her lips with his.

He pulled away again and took her left hand and began to put the ring on her finger, where he hoped it would stay forever.

Julie smiled down at it admiring the silver band, a small set of sheet music was engraved into it with a blue/purple stone set in the middle.

"One side is the piano sheet music to the lyrics "You and me together is more than chemistry, love me as I am, I'll hold your music here inside my hands" from Perfect harmony, and the other side is the guitar sheet music for the same part." Luke explained with a small smile.

"Luke..." Julie trailed off smiled as tears streamed down her face.

"Told you you had nothing to worry about buddy." Reggie said making his presence known.

"You guys all knew about this?" Julie asked seeing the guys, Flynn and her dad all file in.

"We did mija, and we even recorded it." Ray said holding up the camera.

"Thanks you guys."

"Don't thank us, somehow Luke over there managed to come up with this whole plan." Alex pointed out.

"But he couldn't have executed it without us." Flynn quickly added.

The room was filled with congratulations and pictures surrounded in laughs and smiles.

\----

Later that night Julie was leaned up against Luke on the couch back at their own house watching Tangled. A past time of theirs. They felt it was appropriate for the night.

"I love you." Julie said looking up at Luke.

"Well, I would hope so, you did say yes." Luke teased, "What is your dream wedding?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it seems all girls have this wedding that they have pictured in their heads forever, so what's yours?"

"Well, I never really thought about it too hard, I was always more focused on who would be waiting for me at the end of the aisle."

"Come on, you atleast have to have some vague ideas. Certain details like the colors or the time of year." Luke pushed a little bit.

"Fine, well I guess I've always wanted a winter wedding."

"See was that so hard?"

Julie rolled her eyes at her boyfr- fiance. She liked that word more.

"So how does it feel to know you are now officially the future Mrs. Patterson?"

"How does it feel to know that I will be Mrs. Patterson?"

"Like I am the luckiest man ever." Luke said before kissing her softly.

They held each other tight as they continued to watch their movie.

As they began their own, happily ever after...

\-----

I hope you guys enjoyed!!! I know it's been several days and the longest gap between updates! As always I have to ask, who cried?

ALSO STORY,

So, Saturday I went and toured the college I am basically certain I am going to, and while I was there I had a song stuck in my head, and honestly I am going with the song being a sign like the Dahlias. I hadn't listened to the song in days so it wasn't from just having heard a clip, but the song, Home is Where my Horse is, kept playing through my head. Clearly that college is meant to be home.

Hopefully I can update again soon!!! Until then please leave comments and requests!! I will do them as I can!


	18. Christmas Away from You

Crying Potential: yea... there will probably be tears... it's a bit of a roller coaster at some points. But the ending is really cute and sweet so that should make up for it!

\-----

Luke sat in the Molina family living room staring out the window, looking out at the hustle and bustle that the busy city of angels was consumed by. People rushing around trying to find the perfect presents for everyone, families getting their Christmas decorations up, cars in a mad rush trying to get to different holiday events, and families spending time together...

It all made him think back to his last Christmas, the Christmas of 94'. It was just days after he had run away. He spent the day with Reggie, Alex, and Bobby in the garage. He can't even remember the specifics of that fight, mainly the way he felt. Like he wasn't accepted. Like he was misunderstood. Worthless. Alone. Pathetic.

He knew in his heart that these were all wrong, well most of them were wrong, but he didn't want to feel them. Weren't parents the ones who were supposed to love you unconditionally? All he wanted was his mom's support and belief. He didn't need her to come to all of their gigs, though he would have loved it if she even just went to one. He didn't need her to help him get gigs or to listen to his music. He just needed her to believe that he could chase the dream, and if he did fail, that she would be there to pick him back up without saying 'I told you so'. That was his wish that Christmas, for his mother to accept his dreams. Sure his list also included great things for the band, but at the top of his list was that one seemingly simple request.

He may not have remembered the fight vividly, but he did remember the night itself vividly. 

He had just gotten home from practice with the band, and a mini Christmas party they had thrown for themselves, and he was going to hold it all in and spend Christmas with his parents because he really did love them. So he was going to put aside everything and spend the holidays with them. Then words lead to screams and screams led to an argument and well that lead to him grabbing his guitar and his backpack, running out the door and riding away on his bike. His mothers shouts drowned out by the pain he felt within.

He remembered the ride to the garage as a blur of Christmas lights surrounding him, holly jolly music playing around him, and the sounds of laughter coming from children playing.

"Luke," Julie started pulling him from his deep thoughts.

"Yea?" Luke turned to look at his wonderful girlfriend and bandmate.

"You good? Your eyes had like completely glazed over and you looked really solemn."

"Yeah, just thinking back to my last Christmas."

"I get that." Julie said softly hugging him from behind burying her head in his shoulder which was accessible to her thanks to him sitting down and her standing.

In that moment it hit Luke, last Christmas Julie's mom was still around. This was her first Christmas without her.

"I'm sorr-"

"No Luke, I am not sitting through an I'm sorry speech again. From anyone. It's your first Christmas season away from your mom too."

"But I can just flash across town and see her."

"You and I both know it's more complicated than that. You may be able to flash over there and talk to her and let her see you, but I know there is so much more to that story."

"Yeah but-"

"Nope." Julie cut him off with a kiss.

"It may be our first Christmas season away from out moms, but it is our first Christmas season together."

"See Luke, we have a positive side to this. We can gloom around sometimes, but we still need the happiness and joy of the season."

"Yep, so how about we watch a Christmas movie?"

"Sounds like a plan. I'll let everyone else know."

Luke nodded and Julie went and found the guys, Ray, and Carlos so they could all join in the festivities. 

Luke was going through Netflix looking for a movie for them to watch when Julie came rushing in landing on the seat next to him before curling up against his side and grabbing the remote.

"Nope, you are on the wrong streaming service for this." Julie informed him.

"See this is where Blockbuster was nice, all of them in one place."

Reggie and Alex came in seconds later to join.

"We are watching the movie we already discussed right?" Alex asked.

"I second the question." Reggie jumped in.

"Wait you guys already picked a movie?"

"Yep." Julie said with a smile switching the TV to a new streaming service.

"Hallmark?" Luke questioned. "Like the card place?" 

"I mean yeah, but now they have this thing called 'Countdown to Christmas', which is a whole bunch of Christmas movies that are absolutely amazing."

Carlos came in at that moment.

"Noooo, not a Hallmark Christmas movie!"

"Yes! Reggie and Alex support it."

"Sorry little buddie, but I've already watched some and I am hooked." Reggie said with an apologetic look.

"Wait what's wrong with Hallmark Christmas movies?" Luke asked.

"Absolutely nothing." Julie stated and she spread a blanket over her and Luke, he looked down to see it read, 'This is my Hallmark Christmas Movie watching Blanket'.

"They are the exact same movie over and over again just set in different locations with different names and jobs." Carlos said rolling his eyes.

"Hey, they are all magical in their own ways." Julie rebutted.

"Honestly, they've gotten me everytime, I mean the suspense of if they are actually going to end up together is really intense." Reggie added.

"Exactly, even though you know for a fact they will wind up together, you still go on the emotional journey with them." Alex added.

"I may know that they will be together in the end, but in the moment, I'm really never certain." Reggie added.

"Cinderella Christmas." Julie announced as she pressed play, Ray had opted to set up the kitchen for their Christmas cookie making and Gingerbread house making that was to follow their movie.

"Oooo! That one sounds so good." Reggie smiled.

Amazing it was, with the whole Christmas stocking exchange, it really was an adorable story. Then when the step sister was discovered, honestly a great movie over all.

"10/10 would recommend." Alex stated as the movie ended before whisper shouting to Julie, "Did I do that right?"

"Yes you did."

"Yay!"

Julie smiled before stretching and sitting up.

"So what's next oh great Christmas Master?" Luke joked and Julie stood up.

"Christmas cookie making! At the special request of Reggie, and while the cookies bake we will have a gingerbread house making competition. We do have store bought sets because... well we are not getting that complicated. I'll explain later, but first christmas cookies!"

"Christmas Cookies!" Reggie echoed.

Ray had all of the dough out and the cookie cutters set out, he had decided he would not be participating in any of the festivities this year, which was common for him as he preferred to just had his camera out taking pictures of said festivities. He found it more fun. 

They began to roll out the dough to make sugar cookies, as well as start to make balls out of the chocolate chip cookie dough. 

Lots of laughs were had, a few small mistakes were made, but cookies were made.

"Next up is a gingerbread house making contest. We got a store bought set and we will not eat these because just no. But we are grouping up and having a competition. My dad will judge, and he has assured me there will be no bias." Julie announced as she handed out the store bought sets.

Julie and Luke of course partnering up with each other. Leaving Alex, Reggie, and Carlos together after they insisted that the dynamic duo would have an advantage being who they were so they obviously needed to have a team of 3 against them.

Which they were totally fine with and began work on their gingerbread creations.

Luke began to try to put the frame together while Julie squeezed the icing out of the tube to mold the pieces together. Once they had their framing complete Luke took the giant thing of frosting and began to decorate. He squeezed a little bit of it onto his finger,

"Hey Julie, come see this side real quick." Luke casually said as she stopped decorating the other side of their creation to see what Luke was beckoning her for only to have a swipe of icing go across her nose.

"You didn't." She playfully glared.

"I did." Luke said with a smirk as Julie squeezed some icing onto her finger before swiping it across his face.

"There, now we match."

Then they went back to their creation while Carlos rolled his eyes at his sister and her ghost boyfriend.

"Guys I think this came out pretty nicely." Carlos stated stepping away from their creation.

Reggie, Alex, and Carlos had built a pretty decent house though it's greatest feature had to be the mini dog house Reggie had made next to the normal sized gingerbread house.

"And look, there is even a spot for a dog." Reggie said with a smile as Ray came around to judge.

They laughed hard and enjoyed their festivities, and for just a few minutes Luke could forget about all the regrets that came with Christmas and Julie about the bitter-sweet memories from her Christmas pasts.

But all it took was the one moment where they let their minds wander to ruin the blissful facade they had created. 

Both of their smiles faded, but only for a second before they quickly corrected their change in expression, but now their smiles and joy didn't spread to their eyes. So, as the cookies baked in the oven Julie and Luke drifted off to the garage to step away from the holiday happiness.

"You know you don't have to put that smile on your face around me." Luke told her hugging her tight from behind.

"And you know you don't have to either, but once it falls, I don't know if I can get it to go back up. You have to fake it until you make it right?" Julie said lowering her smile slightly before turning in his arms to lay her head against his chest and look up at him.

"I guess you have a point there."

"I keep thinking she is suddenly going to appear and everything will go back to the way it was, just the only difference being I still have you guys."

"And every time I look at the Christmas tree and it's brightly colored lights, I just see the one that was in my parents house in the background the night I left."

They just stood there holding onto each other.

"You know if we don't go back soon they will come for us?" Julie mumbled.

"Yea, but if we go back we have to put those masks back on."

"I don't know how much longer I can smile, I don't know how Carlos is doing it."

"I heard him talking to Reggie earlier, I think he is just focusing on the new memories and doing things in her memory. He says everything we've been doing makes him feel like she is still here. You each have your own ways of handling everything." Luke explained.

"Have you gone to your parents recently?"

"Yea, they still decorate the house basically the same way. There are a few new ornaments though."

Silently they moved over to what had become their couch, not just Luke's, and sat there just taking in each others presence.

"What was your favorite thing about Christmas?" Julie asked.

"The presents. Well not the presents themselves, but the wrapping part. I loved to help wrap presents when I was little. Though all I was allowed to do was hand my mom pieces of tape, but I felt like I was contributing so much. We turned on Christmas music or a Christmas movie and let it play in the background, occasionally my mom would sing along as we wrapped. My dad would get home and he would sit in his chair drinking his coffee watching us wrap and joining in on the sing-alongs." Luke smiled thinking back to those Christmas'. Never did he imagine the Christmas of 94' would be his last with them alive, well pre-ghost time. "What about you?"

"I loved making Christmas cards. We would pull out all the random arts and crafts supplies we had and spread them out across the living room floor, and my dad would print a bunch of random shots he had of anything to do with Christmas and we would piece together and make Christmas cards, no two were ever the same."

"That sounds so cute, do you have any around?"

"I think there are some in the attic, but they are in boxes." Julie said after thinking for a moment.

"You know they will be coming for us any minute now, the cookies should be coming out of the oven now, which means we need to go help decorate them."

"I know, but I don't really want to get up from here."

"I'll come with you, and we can wear our masks together. Enjoying the moment, but not forgetting what once was. I mean you don't want to become the next Scrooge. Otherwise Alex, Reggie and I will all have to dress up as the three ghosts and put on a whole show to help you get your Christmas spirit back!"

Julie laughed with this image filling her head.

"But who would be each ghost?"

"Well Reggie would obviously be past, I mean he is practically like a kid on Christmas morning everyday. Alex would so be present because he would happily lecture you about how you just need to accept Christmas again and see how amazing it is, and I would be future, because I want to be your future. I want to be with you always. Through every up, every down, and every Christmas."

Julie blushed at his final words before smiling and grabbing his hand pulling him up from the couch.

"Well then Ghost of Christmas Future, why don't you show me what I have to expect in my future Christmas'."

\----

Hey guys so it's been a while! Not sure when the next one will be I am insanely busy and not catching any breaks and had a bit of writers block for a while, but feel free to leave requests! I love hearing any feedback you guys have. 

As always I have to ask, who cried?

Hope you guys enjoyed!


	19. Every Mother needs a Child & Every Child needs a Mother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you are just jumping in as I updated, please go back to Hall of Fame and Broken Bonds Part 2, I just published several chapters and that is where I started posting today. So please go back!

Crying Potential: EXTREMELY HIGH ( think....) (Not as sad as originally intended but still cry worthy I think)

DO NOT READ IN CLASS OR WITH OTHERS!!!!

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!

\----

Julie awoke to the sound of her mom's voice sneaking in through her window from the studio. Hearing the all too familiar notes, Julie sat up quick changing before rushing downstairs to the studio.

She slowly opened the huge doors, just a crack, to listen to her mothers heavenly voice. Something was so calming about hearing her mother sing and play the piano in the morning. As the notes flowed through her Julie smiled.

She stood by the lightly cracked studio door and just listened to her mother sing and play song after song.

She smiled as she relished in the moment, knowing either her dad would come get them both for breakfast or her mom would see her and invite her in. She loved playing with her mom, but sometimes all she wanted to do was listen, so she did.

"Julie."

Julie heard her mom say from inside, she had seen the crack in the door and knew her daughter was on the other side.

"Hi, Mom." Julie smiled opening the door to see her mom moving to one side of the piano bench and tapping the now clear area.

"Come play, I have a new song to show you."

"Ooh, what's it called?" Julie asked sitting down and looking at the sheet music her mom was putting in front of them.

"Well, it's called wake up-" Julies mom said with a smile, but the world seemed to fizzle around her.

"What?"

"Wake up-"

Julie's eyes suddenly opened to meet Luke's hazel green eyes.

"Hey, Julie, wake up." Luke shook her gently.

"Mom?"

"I am definitely not your mom Jules."

"Luke?"

"Now you've got it right rock star." Luke smiled down at her until he realized Julie's had turned upside down. "Hey, are you ok Jules?"

"I just... It was a really good dream."

"Want to tell me about it?"

"No, it's ok."

"You sure Jules?"

"Yea."

"Ok..." Luke trailed off. "How about we go have breakfast? Since your dad is out of town for the weekend for that camera convention thing and Carlos is at Tia's Reggie decided to make his famous pancakes, and trust me they are phenomenal." 

Luke tried to cheer her up but he saw straight threw her forced halfway smile.

"Sounds good, just let me use the bathroom then I'll be down there."

"Cool, any specific toppings?"

"Doesn't matter."

Luke frowned, that was very unlike Julie, any time Julie ate pancakes she was very adamant that they have strawberries, a few chocolate chips and butter. No syrup. 

Luke flashed down to the kitchen where Reggie stood at the stove making his next pancake and Alex was watching making conversation.

"Guys, something's up with Julie." 

"What do you mean?" Alex asked his face immediately becoming extremely concerned. Reggie finishing the pancake before turning off the burner turned to look.

"She woke up with a huge smile on her face, and she was talking about her mom in her sleep and then her face just fell when she woke up and saw me."

"Wow dude, I knew you had a screwed up face, but I didn't think it was that bad." Reggie joked hoping to lighten the moment a little bit, Luke rolled his eyes but quickly went back to the concerned look as did Alex.

"Funny, but really, I think she was dreaming about her mom and when she woke up...." Luke trailed off.

"She remembered she wasn't there." Alex finished.

"Well, then she will get the best of my pancakes this morning." Reggie announced before starting on his next pancake as Julie staggered down the stairs, her mind unfocused on what was infront of her.

"Morning guys." Julie greeted before walking up to Luke who wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into his side. She leaned into him while Alex gave her a somber smile.

"Morning Julie, your pancakes are almost done!" Reggie told her with a bright smile hoping it would help her. She gave him a small smile back, no matter how sad she was Reggie's enthusiasm was infectious.

Luke gently guided her to the couch where the tray tables had already been set up for them to eat in there.

"What should we watch?" Luke asked softly kissing Julie's forehead.

"Let Reggie pick."

"ok, Reggie Julie says your picking what to watch!" Luke shouted.

"The next episode of Dash and Lily!" Reggie shouted back, he had been waiting on them to watch the next episode since they had started it.

Luke pulled up Netflix while Julie laid against him.

"Jules, are you okay?"

"No..."

"Want to tell me about it?"

"I forgot."

"Julie, you obviously didn't forget what your dream was."

"No, I forgot about my mom being..."

"You were talking about her in your sleep. What did you dream?"

"I woke up, and she was singing in the studio, so I rushed down there like I did so many mornings and just sat there listening to her before she saw me and was about to start playing with me."

"I'm sorry I woke you up."

"Don't be. It's just when I woke up, I forgot she was gone, and then it hit me she is and everything came back to me at once."

"How about we have breakfast with the guys then I want to bring you somewhere?"

"I don't really want to go out."

"I know, but trust me on this one."

"I trust you." Julie smiled up at him as Reggie walked in with their pancakes.

Julie's had a smilie face on it. The eyes and nose were cut up strawberries, and the mouth and freckles were chocolate chips. with butter as the blush.

Luke's was a Lion. There was a tiny pancake placed upon a bigger one. They were surrounded by cut strawberries to make the mane and as the nose, then the chocolate chips were the mouth and two blueberries made the eyes. The extra strawberries were for when Julie inevitable stole them.

"Aww, thanks Reg." Julie smiled at him as she began to dig into her food.

"You're welcome, now, onto "Dash & Lily"! I really need to see how this whole notebook trade off plays out." Reggie said sitting on the couch for once so he could use the tray to eat. Alex was honestly shocked, Reggie always sat on the floor it was his thing, even if they had food, he just made it work.

Then it all clicked into place for Alex when he saw Reggie continuously sneak glances at Julie as they watched the episode, he picked a spot where he could easily watch over Julie, like the protective older brother he had become.

As the show played out Julie did steal a few strawberries off of Luke's plate, but she seemed distracted the entire episode, as she tried to focus on anything other than the thoughts and feelings racing through her mind.

Luke kept glancing at her, and the more he did the more convinced he was that his plan had to work. It was his best bet to make her feel at least a little bit better. Some things a boyfriend or a brother just couldn't provide.

When the show did end, Reggie didn't even try to talk them in to another episode rather said something about going out to the studio and Alex followed leaving Julie and Luke alone.

"Alright, do you want to leave the house like that or go change?"

Julie looked down at her pajamas,

"I'll go change real quick, anything I should know about outfit wise?"

"Comfy."

Julie nodded before heading up to her room then coming back down in a pair of leggings and a sweatshirt and some converse.

"Ready?" Luke asked.

Julie nodded.

"Walk or teleport?"

"Teleport. I want out of my head."

Luke nodded and flashed then about a block away from their destination.

"This looks familiar?"

"Yeah, well we are almost there, but just know you can tell me whatever you want. I am always here for you, but I figured you didn't need your boyfriend or one of your brothers or your best friend or your aunt or your dad for this. I figured this is what you needed." Luke said mysteriously as they turned the corner and Julie realized his plan.

"My dad isn't home, he is always out with a few friends this time every week, so it will just be you and my mom."

Shortly after the performance at the Orpheum, they paid a visit to Luke's parents and explained everything, they were overjoyed to speak to their son again, and it really helped Luke with the regret he had left. He stopped by every now and then, but Julie had only been over the time she brought Unsaid Emily and the time they came to explain everything.

"But Luke. She is your mom?"

"And?"

"I don't-"

"Julie, look at me. My mom, will just take you right under her wing. She has been bugging me every time I've come over to get you back over here."

"Fine." Julie said with a soft smile.

Luke lead her to the front door before knocking.

Emily opened the door with a smile.

"Luke, Julie!" She greeted.

"Hi Mrs. Patterson."

"Hi Mom."

"Please dear, no Mrs. Patterson, just call me Emily."

"I leave her in your hands mother." Luke said before flashing out.

He had already flashed in early while Julie was distracted to give his mom a run down on what was going on. Emily was happy to take her in for a few hours.

"So Julie, other than music what do you enjoy?"

"Well, I like drawing sometimes. Nothing major just mainly doodles."

"Luke used to doodle all the time when he was little, actually I think I have some of his stuff from when he was a kid over here."

Emily opened a cabinet and pulled out a large plastic box before setting it on the ground and opening the lid to reveal a multitude of papers, arts and crafts projects and a ton of pictures.

"Ah, this was one of Luke's proudest works of art, he demanded it go front and center on the fridge.

Julie smiled at the scribbles from Luke's childhood. 

"He was very much so an abstract artist." Emily laughed softly.

"He did at least eventually find the right form of art for himself." Julie joked.

Emily suddenly looked excited and pulled a box out of a closet.

"So, interested in seeing some baby pictures?"

"Baby Luke! Yes!" 

Emily smiled as she pulled out his baby album and began to show Julie the pictures.

"He hated sleeves even as a baby, which made finding clothes for him quiet a challenge."

They continued through the album for an hour or so before continuing to dig through the box filled with items of Luke's past. 

Luke returned later ready to bring Julie home to find her smiling laughing at a picture of Luke with a bowl of spaghetti on his head after he decided he wanted long hair like his mom.

Any other time Luke would have been slightly annoyed and embarrassed at someone seeing these pictures, but with Julie he loved it. He loved that she was getting to see little him and that she was smiling. She was laughing. The weight that had pulled her down since this morning had since lessened, and he couldn't be happier. 

As they went to leave Julie was a few steps ahead as Luke stopped to talk to his mom.

"Thanks, she was really upset and I didn't know what to do. This was outside of my range of capabilities."

"It's okay Luke. She just needed a mother figure. Because ever mother needs a child, and ever child needs a mother. It's part of how the world goes round. Sometimes we just need someone to step into the role for us when our own mothers aren't around anymore." Emily wisely told her son with a small smile. She knew she had screwed up years ago with him and his music, but otherwise they were always really close. She had missed him. He may have grown up some, but she was always happy to be a mother. She hoped helping Julie would also help her atone for what she had done to Luke. Julie was something special.

\------

So I have had most of this written for 2 months and could never quiet finish it, hope you guys enjoyed! I will be most likely writing some Fate: Winx Saga one shots soon too so if you're interested be on the look out. (I am absolutely obsessed).

So the usual question, who cried? (This was going to be a lot sadder but I just could never get it where I wanted so I went with this. Definitely not my best work but I hope you guys enjoyed it)


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